Vitiligo Treatment and Causes:
Vitiligo is a skin disease in which white patches start to appear on the different parts of the skin. This happens on the skin of the human when those cells which make the color of the skin (pigment) are not producing in the required amount. These color tissues are called melanocytes. As well as, this disease can also happen on the mucous membranes. Mucous membranes are those points which are in the nose, eyes and in the mouth.
The cause or reason behind the appearance of white patches on the skin is the scarcity of melanocytes in the body. Sometimes the human body produced melanocytes in rare quantity and sometimes melanocytes die within the skin. Melanocytes are the most basic cells which give pigment, melanin to the skin. As well as, melanocytes are responsible to give color to the skin and also protect human skin from ultraviolet rays spreading from the sun. According to the latest survey report between 0.5 to 2 percent of the world’s population is affected by this disease.
Fast facts on vitiligo
Here are some of the key points of Vitiligo and also many of them are discussed in complete detail in the main article.
- The first and the basic fact of the vitiligo is, it can attack the people of any race, ethnicity, gender, and age. In many cases, we have seen this happens with kids and the underage child.
- There is no prominent and authentic procedure available in the medical history which can guarantee for this disease. Vitiligo is considered as a life-lasting disease.
- The absolute cause behind it happening is still unknown, but the good thing is that many well-known institutes are working on this and soon it will be possible to recognize the exact cause behind its attack. Maybe it can attack because of a skin pigmentation virus or due to an autoimmune disorder. When the doctors will find out the exact cause behind this than the solution of this will also be found.
- This is not contagious
- Vitiligo can be treated by the exposure of Ultra Violet A and Ultra Violet B lights. In many cases, it can be treated by de-pigmentation on the skin.
What is Vitiligo?
Vitiligo is a skin disease in which white patches start to appear on the different parts of the skin. There is the possibility that it can appear on the whole skin of the patient. As well as, it can appear in the eyes, hairs, and inside of the mouth. In the majority of cases, the area where vitiligo has appeared cannot change for the whole life of the patient and remain discolored. This situation of the patient called photo sensitively. This means those areas where vitiligo has attacked will be much more sensitive than any other part of the body which is not affected by its impacts.
It is very much hard for doctors and analysts that how much area they will cover and till where they will stop their effect. Its shrewdness can take weeks and also the impact of it can remain for years and sometimes for the whole life. The chances of its attack on those individuals who have tanned or darker skin are higher as compare to white skin people.
Will the white patches spread?
There is no authentic process from which dermatologists can check its credibility and tell that it will stop or continue spreading. But when you will undergo treatment the process of its spreading will stop. There are many cases in which after treatment the white patches stop spreading. But in some cases, it has covered many other parts of the body too. So, there are equal chances of its speediness.some peoples, Vitiligo spreads to many years of his or her life (Slow spreading Process). But in some cases, it spread quickly. As well as, emotional and physical stressed people face this disease much as compare to others.
Vitiligo Treatment:
Now the time has come to discuss vitiligo treatment and causes. Its causes are still unknown, so let’s fly towards it treatments and cures. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) released its statement regarding vitiligo and said that “vitiligo is above than cosmetic issues”. It happens due to some specific health disorders, which requires keen medical attention. As well as, there are a vast number of treatments and remedies are being used to decrease the visibility of the white patches from the skin.
Using sunscreen
The dermatologists said that you have to cure your affected parts of the skin form skin because it can burn them and these are more sensitive from before. You should set the appointment with our world’s best dermatologists for better treatment.
Light Therapy:
This therapy is used to get the lost color back in its original color. In this therapy, physicians use psoralen and UV-A or UV-B Light. Through this much patients get their desired results. The treatment requirement is to do that three time in a week and the process should continue for continuous 12 months. Its side effects are minor such as, itchy skin or swelling. But in most cases, it has shown its extraordinary results.
Depigmentation:
In this therapy, the physician works to match whole body skin into the same color. The work to match the whole body color with affected area color. In this process, they use natural colors and affected pieces of skin and mix together.
Phototherapy with UVA light:
There are two types of rays exist for vitiligo treatment and causes, one is Ultra Violet A and the second one is Ultra Violet B. Normally Ultra Violet A light is used to care for other health conditions. For this treatment, the dermatologists suggest some specific sort of drugs which increase the sensitivity of the skin to pass under the Ultra Violet rays. After that, the patient has to pass under a number of treatment sessions on the affected skin by Ultra Violet A light.
The results of this treatment will appear after 8 to 12 months of twice-weekly treatment sessions.
Phototherapy with UVB light
Treat Vitiligo with the help of Ultra Violet B rays is one of the very common methods. This treatment requires a usual light lamp and use this daily, it will be more effective to treat vitiligo.
If you wanted to pass by this treatment under the eye of doctors, then you have to visit clinic 2 to 3 times per week and the treatment duration can be a long time to time.
If the white patches have accused on large areas of the body than in this case Ultra Violet B (UVB) phototherapy will be one of the best. In this treatment, the whole body of the patient include and Ultra Violet B (UVB) light pass on the whole body of the patient. This treatment cannot be performed at home if you wanted to undergo through this treatment than you have to visit the clinic and also try to meet with professional, skilled and qualified dermatologists for this therapy.
UVB phototherapy is never done lonely, but it has performed with the patch up of some more therapies. So, it is considered one of the most effective therapies to treat people from Vitiligo and also it includes in the vitiligo treatment and causes. But still there is a huge gape and no treatment exist which can guarantee the skin’s fully re-pigmentation.
Skin Camouflage:
In those skin cases of vitiligo when it is mild on the skin, the doctors suggest to the patients that they can camouflage these mild vitiligo white patches from the skin with the help of makeup, cosmetic creams, and colors. But they have to be very much careful regarding the color of makeup or cosmetics and their skin. Because if both of them will not match, your skin will be seen as more awkward than before.
If the makeup and creams are applied on the skin properly they can remain on the facial skin for up to 12 to 18 hours and on the other body parts, makeup can last more than 90 to 100 hours. You can also use waterproof makeup because they will be more resistant than others.
Topical corticosteroids:
There are some steroids in cosmetic creams called corticosteroid ointments. There are many studies have been arranged on the same topic that is topical corticosteroids are helpful to remove vitiligo’s white patches from skin or there is the possibility through this treatment that these white patches can be stopped. The result of the researches shows that corticosteroids should never be applied to the facial skin, while on the other body it is much helpful to remove patches.
The doctors will check the results after one month of continuous treatment and if they noticed some kind of improvement on the skin than they have the right to stop the treatment for one or two weeks before starting this treatment once again. And if the improvement stops in the relaxation duration or if there are some kinds of side effects starts to appear on the skin than the treatment should not continue and stop this.
Calcipotriene (Dovonex)
Calcipotriene is a subcategory of vitamin D, which is being used to for the cure of topical ointment. These elements are being used with very light treatment or with the combination of corticosteroids. There are also some chances of its side effects such as itching skin, rashes or the skin will be permanently dry.
Drugs Affecting the Protection System:
Those all drugs which have pimecrolimus and/or tacrolimus ointments are known as calcineurin inhibitors. These are one of the best treatments to treat small patches of depigmentation from the skin. Though the very prominent institute of the United States (U.S.), named Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released their statement regarding this treatment and in this statement they declared that this treatment is directly related with the germs of lymphoma and skin cancer. So, if the treatment has gone wrong than skin cancer or lymphoma can attack the skin of the patient.
Psoralen
Psoralen is the best treatment for vitiligo if we use this treatment with the combination of UVA or UVB light therapy. This method makes the skin of the patient very susceptible to UV light and in the end, the skin starts healing itself and sometimes skin returns to its original color. If you wanted to see the best results from this treatment than you have to do this treatment for two or three times per week and the treatment should be continued for 6 to 12 continuous months.
In the short term side effects of Psoralen, we believe that this treatment can maximize the chance of skin damage and of sunburn, while on the long-term basis it can lead towards skin cancer. This treatment can be applied on the adults and mature people, while this treatment is not recommended for below 10 years individuals.
Skin grafts
As it describes from its title that in this treatment the surgeon takes upper skin layer from any other body part of the skin and apply this upper layer on the white patches to cover that with his own skin. The treatment demands the very high attention of the surgeons.
This is considered as time taking procedure and also it is not very much common to treat people from vitiligo. The reason for its unpopularity is that it can result in the area that which part of the body should be chosen for taking the upper layer and on which part the skin should be placed. It’s a million dollar question for doctors and patients both.
Tattooing
In this surgery the surgeon’s implant pigments within the skin. This treatment gives its best results in the area near lips. As well as, this treatment is the best choice for those who have dark skin color.
As well as, the person who is a specialist in the tattooing surgery can make many designs and slogans on your skin with your desired one. But there are very fewer chances of some other patches occurrence.
