Partial repigmentation of a vitiliginous nipple areolar complex following therapeutic mammoplasty

We discuss the unusual repigmentation of a vitiliginous region of a nipple areolar complex following a therapeutic mammoplasty. We consider the autoimmune mechanisms behind the pathogenesis of vitiligo and their potential interplay with the immunological pathways involved in this patient's breast cancer and ultimately in the postoperative recovery period. This case highlights the potential interconnecting thread of immunological disruptions, which may provide a springboard for further discussion around the treatment for vitiligo. It also provides a useful point of note when counselling darker skin patients around scarring when undergoing surgical interventions.