الفهرس 
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Abstract
Vitiligo is an acquired disorder characterized by circumscribed
depigmented macules and patches with or without leucotrichia. Melanocyte
destruction in vitiligo is a slow process resulting in a progressive decrease
in melanocyte numbers. The pathogenesis of vitiligo has not been
completely understood but appears to be associated with the interaction of
genetic susceptibility as well as neurological and immunological risk
factors. The course of vitiligo is unpredictable but is often progressive,
which may have a severe impact on the quality of life of patients and result
in marked emotional stress, It affects 0.5-2% of the world‘s population,
irrespective of gender and race.
Vitiligo is classified into non segmental vitiligo (NSV) and segmental
vitiligo where in NSV the depigmented macules and patches vary in size
from a few to several centimeters in diameter and involve both sides of the
body with a tendency toward symmetrical distribution. NSV can be
generalized, acrofacial, universal, mucosal, and mixed. In segmental
vitiligo, one or more vitiligo lesions are distributed on a unilateral segment
of the body. The lesions usually respect the midline.
Diagnostic difficulties arise occasionally when focal vitiligo needs to
be differentiated from chemically induced leukoderma, tinea versicolor,
pityriasis alba, halo nevus, depigmented nevus, and post inflammatory
hypopigmentation (PIH). Moreover, in many circumstances a diagnosis of
early localized vitiligo cannot be definitely made, based on clinical
examination alone. Since vitiligo is associated with significant emotional
disturbances, a reliable early diagnosis is essential to initiate appropriate
counseling and early treatment. In such conditions, dermoscopy may play a role in obviating the need for a skin biopsy for histopathological
confrmation, especially in children. Dermoscopy as a tool is most
commonly used for the examination of melanomas, pigmented lesions, and
hair-loss. Its use in diagnosis and differentiation of hypopigmented lesions
is relatively new.