Vitiligo onset removes congenital nevocellular nevus cells

Abstract

Vitiligo vulgaris is an acquired, idiopathic disorder characterized by circumscribed depigmented macules in a characteristic distribution pattern. Functional melanocytes disappear from affected skin. Although the mechanisms have not yet been fully identified, autoimmune T lymphocytes directed against melanocytes may be involved in its pathogenesis. We report here a case of congenital nevus that became fully depigmented after the onset of vitiligo vulgaris. This is the first report to describe the disappearance of almost all nevus cells from a lesion of congenital nevus after concomitant onset of typical vitiligo vulgaris, although there have been a few case reports of depigmented macules that spontaneously developed in the lesion of congenital giant nevus [1–3].