Hair involvement in Vitiligo

Abstract

Core Messages: Hairs become affected by vitiligo with variable frequency according to subtype, and this does not usually relate to disease progression. Loss of hair melanocyte reservoir means that repigmentation may be very difficult with medical therapy. Canities (diffuse premature hair greying) indicate a genetically and age-related failure of pigmentation mechanisms, and may also express early vitiligo in some affected patients. Poliosis (cluster of depigmented hair) is not specific to vitiligo. Repigmentation of leukotrichia may be possible with melanocyte transplantation, but methods are still at a development stage. Hair follicles melanocytes are frequently affected by vitiligo and determine leukotrichia, manifested clinically as permanent depigmen-tation of hair. Such defects may be considered by patients as unacceptable. Sometimes, a treatment can be envisaged. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.