Response to cosmetic disfigurement: patients with vitiligo.

Vitiligo presents an excellent opportunity to focus on the effect of impaired appearance on the lives of persons with this disease. We questioned 326 patients with vitiligo and obtained an overview of how they perceived others' reactions to them, their own reactions to the disease, and their experiences with physicians. Many patients are frightened and embarrassed by vitiligo, experience discrimination from others, and believe that they do not receive adequate support from their doctors. Implications of these findings for patient care are presented.