What condition results in light or white splotches on the skin due to absence of pigment?

The condition that results in light or white splotches on the skin due to an absence of pigment is vitiligo. Vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder where the body's immune system attacks the melanocytes, the cells responsible for producing melanin, leading to patches of skin that appear lighter than the surrounding areas.

Although hypopigmentation refers to a general decrease in pigmentation and could describe lighter areas on the skin, it does not specifically indicate the pattern or the well-defined splotches characterized in vitiligo. Albinism, on the other hand, is a genetic condition that results in an absence of melanin in the skin, hair, and eyes, but it is not specifically defined by splotches. Leukoderma is often used interchangeably with conditions like vitiligo but is less specific in terms of its implications.

Largely, vitiligo is distinguished by the distinct patches that can appear anywhere on the body, offering a clear identification of the condition related to the absence of pigment compared to the broader terms of hypopigmentation or the general characteristics of albinism.