Vitiligo pp 166-180 | Cite as

Environmental Factors

The Kobner's Phenomenon
Occupational Vitiligo
  • Yvon Gauthier
  • Laila Benzekri
  • Raymond E. Boissy
Chapter

Core Messages

  • Fitzpatrick and ourselves described the frequency of vitiligo lesions vulgaris at sites subjected to repeated trauma such as continuous pressure or repeated frictions of various origins.

  • In non-segmental vitiligo, the incidence of Kobner's Phenomenon (KP) is very varied according to reports, that is, from 15 to 70%.

  • Wounds, scars, burns, abrasion, laser, and other types of surgical abrasion are the more frequent inducing factors of the KP.

  • Many mechanisms have been hypothesised: increased release of neuropeptides noxious for melanocytes, detachment and transepidermal elimination, and lower secretion of keratino-cyte-derived factors. In normal vitiligo skin, a minor trauma (tape stripping) is possible after 72 h to induce the formation of autophagic vacuoles containing polymelanosomes and the detachment of few melanocytes from the basement membrane.

  • In the presence of a history of vitiligo in the family, the onset of permanent depigmentation following repeated scratches in children without vitiligo could indicate a ‘vitiligo diathesis.’

Keywords

Lichen Planus Mechanical Trauma Vitiligo Patient Oculocutaneous Albinism Repeated Trauma 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010

Authors and Affiliations

  • Yvon Gauthier
    • 1
  • Laila Benzekri
    • 1
  • Raymond E. Boissy
    • 2
  1. 1.Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital Saint-AndréCHU de BordeauxFrance
  2. 2.University of Cincinnati College of MedicineCincinnatiUSA

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