What disorder results in lack of pigment in hair or skin?

Author: Stevie Harris  |  Last update: Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Overview. The term albinism usually refers to oculocutaneous (ok-u-low-ku-TAY-nee-us) albinism (OCA). OCA is a group of disorders passed down in families where the body makes little or none of a substance called melanin. The type and amount of melanin in your body determines the color of your skin, hair and eyes.

What causes lack of pigmentation in the skin?

Vitiligo occurs when pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) die or stop producing melanin — the pigment that gives your skin, hair and eyes color. The involved patches of skin become lighter or white. It's unclear exactly what causes these pigment cells to fail or die.

What is it called when you have no pigment in your skin and hair?

Albinism. This is a rare, inherited disorder. It reduces the amount of melanin pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes. People with albinism (albinos) have white hair, pale skin, and pink or blue eyes.

Which autoimmune disorder causes a loss of pigmentation in skin and hair?

Vitiligo is a chronic (long-lasting) autoimmune disorder that causes patches of skin to lose pigment or color. This happens when melanocytes – skin cells that make pigment – are attacked and destroyed, causing the skin to turn a milky-white color.

What is a disorder of the pigmentation of the skin or hair?

Albinism, melasma, vitiligo, Addison's disease, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which can be brought on by eczema, acne vulgaris, and drug interactions, are the most common skin pigmentation disorders in clinical practice.

The #1 Deficiency in All Skin Diseases (Dermatitis)

What autoimmune disease affects your hair?

Alopecia areata is a disease that happens when the immune system attacks hair follicles and causes hair loss. Hair follicles are the structures in skin that form hair. While hair can be lost from any part of the body, alopecia areata usually affects the head and face.

What condition is no hair pigment?

Hair vitiligo is a condition in which hair turns white or gray, resulting from the loss of melanin in the hair follicles. The exact cause of this condition is unknown. Still, it is believed to be the result of an autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune system attacks and destroys melanin-producing cells.

What is lack of pigmentation in skin hair and eyes?

Albinism is a rare genetic condition caused by mutations, or changes, of certain genes that affect the amount of melanin your body produces. Melanin controls the pigmentation (color) of your skin, eyes and hair. People with albinism have extremely pale skin, eyes and hair.

What disease affects hair color?

Inherited gray or silvery hair syndromes include Chediak-Higashi syndrome, Griscelli syndrome, and oculocerebral hypopigmentation syndrome, Cross type. Premature graying is also seen in genetically inherited premature aging syndromes such as progeria and Werner syndrome.

What disease can be mistaken for vitiligo?

Pityriasis versicolor can sometimes be confused with vitiligo, as they both cause the skin to become discoloured in patches.

What is the absence of skin and hair pigmentation?

The term albinism usually refers to oculocutaneous (ok-u-low-ku-TAY-nee-us) albinism (OCA). OCA is a group of disorders passed down in families where the body makes little or none of a substance called melanin. The type and amount of melanin in your body determines the color of your skin, hair and eyes.

Can vitiligo be cured permanently?

No drug can stop the process of vitiligo — the loss of pigment cells (melanocytes). But some drugs, used alone, in combination or with light therapy, can help restore some color. Drugs that control inflammation. Applying a corticosteroid cream to affected skin might return color.

What is it called when you have no pigment in your skin?

Vitiligo is caused by the lack of a pigment called melanin in the skin. Melanin is produced by skin cells called melanocytes, and it gives your skin its colour. In vitiligo, there are not enough working melanocytes to produce enough melanin in your skin.

What disease did Michael Jackson have?

Jackson's dermatologist, Arnold Klein, said he observed in 1983 that Jackson had vitiligo, a condition characterized by patches of the skin losing their pigment. He also identified discoid lupus erythematosus in Jackson. He diagnosed Jackson with lupus that year, and with vitiligo in 1986.

What is the total lack of pigmentation in the hair and skin called?

Albinism, from the Latin albus, meaning "white," is a group of heritable conditions associated with decreased or absent melanin in ectoderm-derived tissues (most notably the skin, hair, and eyes), yielding a characteristic pallor. The most commonly thought of presentation is that of oculocutaneous albinism (OCA).

Can two white parents have an albino child?

Even if the parents look normal, they can still carry the gene. When both parents carry the gene but don't have albinism themselves, there is a 1 in 4 chance at each pregnancy that the baby will have albinism. This type of inheritance is called autosomal recessive inheritance.

What is a lack of pigment in hair?

Poliosis itself is simply a harmless lack of pigment in hair follicles, which causes them to become white or gray. The condition can exist from birth, or it can appear without warning at any age. While there is no need to be alarmed if poliosis appears, it is best to see a doctor if it does.

What is the disease where you have white hair?

Albinism, characterized by light hair (ranging from white to yellowish white) and pale skin, is caused by a lack of melanin.

What disorder has no hair?

Alopecia universalis (AU), also known as alopecia areata universalis, is a medical condition involving the loss of all body hair, including eyebrows, eyelashes, chest hair, armpit hair, and pubic hair. It is the most severe form of alopecia areata (AA).

Why is my hair losing pigment?

Your hair follicles produce less color as they age, so when hair goes through its natural cycle of dying and being regenerated, it's more likely to grow in as gray beginning after age 35. Genetics can play a role in when this starts.

Why wont my hair hold pigment?

Another reason could be that your hair has already been sensitised by products which are too harsh for your locks or the heat from a heating device. If the cuticles are damaged, logically colour will not hold as well. As a result, it is very important to revive your locks with targeted treatments before colouring.

What are usually the first signs of lupus?

Symptoms
  • Fatigue.
  • Fever.
  • Joint pain, stiffness and swelling.
  • Butterfly-shaped rash on the face that covers the cheeks and bridge of the nose or rashes elsewhere on the body.
  • Skin lesions that appear or worsen with sun exposure.
  • Fingers and toes that turn white or blue when exposed to cold or during stressful periods.

Does Sjögren's affect hair?

Patients with Sjögren's can have hair loss, but their underlying Sjögren's is not always to blame. A thorough history and physical exam by a dermatologist can help to elucidate the underlying cause of the patient's hair loss and will guide treatment.

What autoimmune disease causes weight gain?

Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

You develop low levels of thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism), usually over months to years. Symptoms include fatigue, constipation, weight gain, depression, dry skin, and sensitivity to cold.

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