Vitiligo is a skin condition in which patches of skin lose their pigment, resulting in white or light-colored areas. This occurs when the melanocytes, the cells responsible for producing pigment (melanin), are destroyed or stop functioning. Vitiligo can affect any part of the body, including the skin, hair, and sometimes the inside of the mouth or eyes. The condition is not contagious and often appears symmetrically on both sides of the body.