Vitiligo: new etiology-based treatments

ABSTRACT

Vitiligo is an acquired depigmentary disorder characterized by a chronic and progressive loss of melanocytes from the epidermis. The etiopathogenesis of vitiligo is still not fully understood, and the major theories include melanocyte destruction [autoimmune, neural and impaired redox status] and melanocyte inhibition or defective adhesion. Recently a new theory, melanocytorrhagy, was forwarded. In this review are also discussed the new etiologybased treatments, mainly topical calcipotriol, topical immunomodulators and topical catalase