Melissa Conrad Stöppler

May 7, 2024 | webmd.com | Zilpah Sheikh |Melissa Conrad Stöppler |Kristin Mitchell |Frances Gatta

Vitiligo is a long-lasting condition that causes a loss of color in patches on the skin. It happens when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the skin cells that make color or pigment (melanocytes), turning the affected skin milky white. Any location on the body can be affected, and most people with vitiligo have white patches on many areas. These patches can show up on the same area on both sides of the body, such as on your hands or knees.

Jul 17, 2023 | webmd.com | Melissa Conrad Stöppler

Doctors often have only a short period of time with each person they see for routine examinations. (Of course, there is also time out of the exam room that is spent reviewing the chart and records.) The experience can be confusing and frustrating when communication on one or both sides is lacking, particularly if you're given new information to process or new instructions to follow.