Contact vitiligo is the loss of skin colour (whitening of skin) due to contact with chemicals. These chemicals destroy the skin pigment cells called as melanocytes. A recent fascinating example of contact vitiligo is occurred in the summer of 2013 in Japan. When the cosmetic company “Kanebo” developed a highly effective skin lighting cream and sold it to thousands of consumers. Unfortunately over 18,000 users developed contact vitiligo after using it, leading to recall the product. An active ingredient in the product is “Rhododendrol” also a phenol. This type of chemicals appears to be anlog of the amino acid tyrosine that disrupt melanogenesis and result in autoimmunity and melanocytes destruction
