What is vitiligo ?
Vitiligo is a chronic skin disorder characterized by the appearance of white or discolored patches on the skin. Also called Leucoderma, it affects nearly 1% of the world population.
The early signs of vitiligo are white/discolored patches on the sun-exposed body areas, such as face, hands, feet, arms and lips. In some cases, the hair also turn gray and people even notice a color l oss inside their mouth. Leucoderma does not cause itching, redness or pain before or after the white spots develop. So, in case you experience these symptoms, consult with your doctor immediately.
Vitiligo usually appears between the age of 10 and 30, and is more likely to affect people with darker skin, but it can happen to any person regardless of the age, gender or race. These white patches on the skin do not spread from person to person, and has nothing to do with your diet. But, it is more likely to get triggered by autoimmune diseases, like alopecia areata, pernicious anemia, etc.
Vitiligo is caused due to the damage of melanocytes, the cells that give color to the skin, hair and nails. Though the actual reason behind this condition is unknown, but it is said to be due to the body’s own immune system that think melanocytes as foreign cells and attack them. Sometimes, Alopecia Areata, Psorasis, Diabetes, Pernicious Anemia, Hypothyroidism and other such diseases are also associated with Leucoderma. Apart from these, stress, sunburns and chemical exposure also cause Vitiligo.
Yes, vitiligo is treatable. At DermaClinix, we provide three types of treatment for white patches on the skin, i.e, Medication, Light Therapy and Surgery.
MedicationIn case of unstable, we prefer use of various topical as well as oral medicines for vitiligo treatment. The medications are chosen on the basis of various factors, including the affected body surface area and the number of new patches developed in the last 1-3 months. The most commonly prescribed medicine is a potent or super-potent topical Corticosteroid and Tacrolimus cream . They work more effectively, when combined with other medicines.
Light TherapyThis technique involves the use of laser/light devices to treat the white spots on the skin. We recommend light treatments along with topical medications for better and faster results.
We provide surgical treatments with a very high success rate to patients with stable vitiligo. That means, no new spot developed or change in the size of the existing ones in the last one year.
The results vary from patient to patient. In some cases, the response to vitiligo treatments is immediate, while in the other cases, the considerable results are seen after a few months. Likewise, the repigmentation at non-hair bearing region like finger tips and ankles is a little slower than that in case of other body areas. For the best vitiligo treatment in Delhi, visit us!