What really causes vitiligo?

Officially, vitiligo is caused when the skin cells that produce melanin, which determines skin color, die or stop functioning. This results in a lack of pigmentation in the skin, which manifests in white patches. Although it’s not certain, some believe that the destruction of these cells, known as melanocytes, is the result of an autoimmune disease. This disease is thought to be hereditary, triggered by sunburn or stress, or both.