What is segmental vitiligo?
Segmental vitiligo is a unique type of vitiligo that usually affects just one side of the body. It's also called unilateral vitiligo or localized vitiligo.
About 1 in 10 people with vitiligo have this type, and it's more common in children. In fact, up to 3 in 10 children with vitiligo have Show Full Answer
What is segmental vitiligo?
Segmental vitiligo is a unique type of vitiligo that usually affects just one side of the body. It's also called unilateral vitiligo or localized vitiligo.
About 1 in 10 people with vitiligo have this type, and it's more common in children. In fact, up to 3 in 10 children with vitiligo have segmental vitiligo.
Unlike other forms of vitiligo that can advance throughout your life, segmental vitiligo typically progresses rapidly for about 6 months to a year and then stops spreading. The patches usually appear on one area, such as your head, neck, torso, arm, or leg.
In about half of cases, segmental vitiligo also causes loss of color in hair, including eyebrows, eyelashes, and body hair. This makes it different from nonsegmental vitiligo, which usually appears symmetrically on both sides of the body.
Another key difference: segmental vitiligo isn't typically associated with autoimmune diseases or thyroid conditions, unlike nonsegmental vitiligo.
November 5, 2025
Join
Your Privacy Choices
