Last Updated on 13th June 2022 by Caroline Haye
I only realised when I read this article on the subject that leukoderma is not just another name for vitiligo. (Contrary to popular belief .) Vitiligo is, in fact, just one type of leukoderma.
Leukoderma (or leucoderma, as it is sometimes spelled) is just an umbrella term. It applies to any condition that causes patchy depigmentation of the skin. In fact, the word actually means “white skin”, which is an apt description of the pale patches that these conditions cause.
Whilst the two terms are not strictly synonymous, the use of the word leukoderma refers to vitiligo more often than not. Maybe this is because vitiligo is the most common form. (An estimated 0.5 – 2% of the global population have vitiligo.)
Some of the other types of leukoderma include the following conditions:
- Piebaldism (a genetic condition, usually apparent from birth)
- Leprosy (a.k.a. Hansen’s Disease: a curable infectious disease)
- Halo Nevus (or Halo Mole: a white circle of skin surrounding a mole)
- Pityriasis Versicolor (a.k.a. Tinea Versicolor: a fungal infection)
- Tuberous Sclerosis (a rare genetic condition causing mainly benign tumours)
- Lichen Planus (an autoimmune condition that can affect hair, skin, nails and mucous membrane)
For more in-depth information on each of the above please see the Dermnet link in the introduction.
(You may also be interested in reading Is piebaldsim the same as vitiligo?)
