Still poorly known, poorly understood, and still widely stigmatized, vitiligo has a profound impact on the social and mental lives of young patients. An infographic recently published by Le Quotidien du Médecin , a leading medical journal, on the occasion of World Vitiligo Day 2025, highlights the scale of the phenomenon and highlights the importance of early diagnosis and appropriate support.
Worrying figures, a silent malaise
In France, 1 million people live with vitiligo (3) . But among young people aged 12 to 25, the disease remains largely unknown: only 30% say they have ever heard of it (3) . This lack of information fuels fears and false beliefs: 31% of young people still think that vitiligo is contagious (3) , when it is not.
This lack of knowledge translates into concrete consequences:
- 76% of young people aged 12 to 25 believe that society’s view of people with vitiligo is detrimental to their mental health (3) ,
- 60% of young patients report experiencing social or psychological repercussions on a daily basis ,
- 45% felt rejected (4) ,
- and only 38% of middle school students would agree to interact with a person with vitiligo (3) .
All these factors contribute to isolation , harassment , and a deterioration in the mental health of the young people concerned. It should be remembered that among the skin diseases that display, vitiligo is recognized as one of the skin conditions with the greatest psychosocial impact (1, 2) .
Access to care, diagnostic errors, preconceived ideas: we must act early
Beyond the social outlook, it is also the care pathway that poses a problem. In Europe, the average time to obtain a diagnosis is 2.5 years (6) ! And once the diagnosis is made, 75% of patients say they have already heard that there is no treatment (5) – which is false: solutions exist, although they vary depending on the profile.
This reality underscores the importance of training healthcare professionals, informing the general public , and better guiding patients at the first signs. As the infographic’s main message, aimed at the medical profession, reminds us: “Referring to a dermatologist early reduces the burden.”
This alarming picture, highlighted by several recent studies, calls for a change in perspective and practices. Raising awareness, early diagnosis, and support : three levers to help young people with vitiligo move forward in their lives with confidence, not shame.
References and sources:
1) Passeron et al. 2023 EADV- Abstract Prevalence of vitiligo, Impact on quality of life and Social stigmatization: results of the first large international survey – consulted on May 26, 2025 • 2) Passeron et al. 2024 IMCAS Pigmentary disorders, prevalence, impact of life, social stigmatization: results of first large international survey consulted on May 26, 2025 • 3) See our article https://www.afvitiligo.com/2024/03/11/vitiligo-chez-les-jeunes-resultats-etude-eclairante/ • 4) “CHANGE OF PERSPECTIVE ON VISIBLE DERMATOSES”. Pierre Fabre Group – https://static.pierre-fabre.com/corpo/sites/pierre-fabre.com/files/2022-07/Visible%20diseases%20of%20 the%20skin%20VDS%20FR.pdf • 5) VALIANT Study, Vitiligo and Life Impact Among International Communities (2023) • 6) Rewriting The Vitiligo Patient Experience: The Vitiligo White Paper (2025) – VIPOC.
