Leucism vs. Vitiligo — What's the Difference?

Leucism is a condition characterized by reduced pigmentation affecting various types of animals. Unlike albinism, leucistic animals do not lack melanin entirely, but have it reduced in some parts of their bodies. Conversely, Vitiligo is a specific human skin condition where melanocytes, the cells responsible for skin pigmentation, are destroyed. This leads to white patches on different parts of the body.

In leucism, the partial loss of pigmentation can result in white, pale, or patchy coloration of skin, hair, feathers, scales or cuticles, but it does not affect the animal's eye color. Vitiligo, however, only affects the skin and has no impact on hair or eye color. It can start at any age and is believed to be an autoimmune disorder where the body's immune system attacks and destroys melanocytes.

The cause of leucism is attributed to genetic mutations affecting pigment cell differentiation and proliferation. Animals with leucism are often at a higher risk of predation due to their lack of camouflage. Vitiligo's cause is not fully understood but is thought to involve genetic factors, oxidative stress, and an autoimmune response that leads to the progressive loss of skin pigmentation, often having significant psychosocial impacts.

Unlike leucism, which is present from birth, Vitiligo can develop later in life and is progressive. The unpigmented patches in Vitiligo may increase in size and number over time. Leucism is stable and does not change once the animal has reached maturity.

It's important to note that leucism is not a health condition and generally does not affect the life span or well-being of an animal. On the other hand, Vitiligo, while not typically directly impacting physical health, can have emotional and psychological effects due to societal perceptions of beauty and normalcy.