Depigment

/diːˈpɪɡmənt/ verb

Definition

To remove pigment or color from something, especially skin or biological tissue.

Etymology

From de- (remove) + pigment (from Latin 'pigmentum,' meaning 'paint' or 'coloring matter'). Latin 'pigmentum' comes from 'pingere,' meaning 'to paint.' The word entered English in the 1600s.

Kelly Says

While 'bleach' works for clothes, 'depigment' is the technical term dermatologists use when treating conditions like vitiligo—the skin loses its ability to make melanin, essentially depigmenting itself. It's science's precise way of describing color loss.

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