Vitiligo: Cause...

Although the cause of vitiligo is unknown, inheritance seems to be a definite etiologic factor because about 30% of patients with vitiligo have family members with the same condition. Other theories implicate enzymatic self-destructing mechanisms, autoimmune mechanisms, and abnormal neurogenic stimuli.

Some link exists between vitiligo and many other disorders that it often accompanies — thyroid dysfunction, pernicious anemia, Addison’s disease, aseptic meningitis, diabetes mellitus, photophobia, hearing defects, alopecia areata, uveitis, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, and halo nevi.

Stress

The most frequently reported precipitating factor is a stressful physical or psychological event — severe sunburn, surgery, pregnancy, loss of a job, bereavement, or some other source of distress. Chemical agents, such as phenols and catechols, may also cause this condition.

Vitiligo affects about 1% of the population in the United States, usually people between ages 10 and 30, with peak incidence around age 20. It affects men and women equally, but women are more likely to seek treatment.