The revolution that is changing vitiligo treatment

White spots on the face, hands or around the eyes are the most recognizable sign of vitiligo. But whoever looks only at the spots, misses the real story.Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks melanocytes – the cells that produce melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color. According to a large-scale Israeli study published in 2024, it affects about half a percent of the population in Israel, meaning about 50,000 people. It is not contagious and not life-threatening, but for many it changes self-confidence, quality of life and sometimes mental health as well.Precisely because it is so common, it is surprising to discover how much it is still surrounded by myths.For more than 3,000 years vitiligo was mistakenly identified with other skin diseases, including leprosy. This confusion was not just a medical error. It led to social stigmas that accompanied patients for centuries.