Vitiligo, a depigmenting disorder characterized by amelanotic macules resulting from a loss of melanocytes, affects approximately 2% of the worldwide population regardless of race, ethnic background, or gender. The disorder can cause psychological problems, and in some cultures individuals with vitiligo are ostracized because of their appearance. There are several hypotheses as to the pathogenesis of the disease, but no one single hypothesis is fully explanatory.

Current methods of treating the disorder include cosmetics, topical and intralesional corticosteroid therapy, and psoralen ultraviolet light (PUVA) therapy. Unfortunately, not all patients respond to current treatment modalities. Some new and emerging treatments may help a number of patients with vitiligo. These include newer forms of phototherapy, surgical grafting techniques, and melanocyte transplants. There is the possibility that the use of cytokines and growth factors that may mimic the actions of phototherapeutic agents at the cellular level and use of immunomodulators may prove helpful.