The Psychological Aspects of Vitiligo

Dermatologists are likely to be confronted with patients who present with a wide range of psychiatric issues and problems. Writers on psychocutaneous medicine have described a variety of conditions that represent the interplay between the psyche and the soma. Vitiligo is one such disease and will be the focus of this article. Specifically, 3 areas will be examined: (1) the psychological impact vitiligo has on patients, (2) how psychological factors contribute to the etiology and course of the illness, and (3) the benefits of offering adjunctive psychological treatment. By exploring these aspects of vitiligo in more detail, I hope to illustrate the profound importance psychological factors play in this disease and the value of incorporating a psychological approach in its treatment.