C478T, one of the MC1R SNPs studied in 108 fair-skinned vitiligo patients and in 70 fair-skinned healthy control individuals, showed a significant difference (P=0.0262, odds ratio [95% confidence interval]=3.6 [0.0046-0.1003]) in allele frequency between the two groups: the allele frequency was higher in the control group, suggesting protection against vitiligo.