physicians research

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The human skin is exposed daily to many environmental factors. Among these, the noxious influence of UV irradiation on the skin has been largely investigated, but the importance of mechanical trauma has been neglected. The KP had to be considered not exclusively as ‘an associated skin manifestation’ of vitiligo an other cutaneous diseases, but as a fascinating process was able to give the physician any information about the pathogenesis and cause of skin disorders. (Y. Gauthier and L.Benzekri)

• In cases of positive family history of vitiligo, the appearance of white spots or vitiligonious macules following trauma could be considered a warning sign and should be further investigated to differentiate from IGH and other differentials of Vitiligo.
• Many mechanisms have been hypothesized:

1. Increased release of neuropeptides noxious for melanocytes,
2. Detachment and transepidermal elimination
3. Lower secretion of keratinocyte- derived factors. 

• In normal vitiligo skin, a minor trauma such as tape stripping is possible after 72 h to induce the formation of autophagic vacuoles containing polymelanosomes and the detachment of a few melanocytes from the basement membrane leading to the onset of Vitiligo.
• Wounds, scars, burns, abrasion, laser, and other types of surgical abrasion are the more frequent inducing factors of the KP
• In non-segmental vitiligo, the incidence of Kobner’s Phenomenon (KP) is very varied according to reports, that is, from 15 to 70%.