Suffering From Vitiligo? Discover The Proven Vitiligo Therapy Options
Vitiligo is a condition characterized by a loss of pigmentation of the skin, resulting in the formation of discoloured patches, which over time may cover large parts of the body. What exactly causes vitiligo is still a subject of investigation, but in most cases it occurs in people who have family members who are diabetic, who suffer from thyroid disease or who themselves are vitiligo patients.
Drastic alterations in the complexion can be traumatising for the patients, and hence the need for treatment is felt so urgently by them and their families. Spreading of patches can either be stopped completely or their growth can be reduced through treatment. However, re-pigmentation of skin is possible too for patients who have not seen any noticeable spread of the disease for more than two years.
Oral PUVA therapy is the most common vitiligo treatment, which involves taking a prescribed dose of Psoralen about 2 hours before exposure to UVA light or sunlight. About 6 out of 10 vitiligo sufferers have seen positive results from this treatment.
Surgical options for vitiligo treatment have also become popular over the last decade. These usually involve a procedure known as miniature punch grafting. Using a punch instrument, a surgeon takes a number of punches from the donor's skin, each around 2 mm in diameter, and grafts them on to the affected areas of the patient's skin. After the surgery, the patients undergo PUVA therapy, which leads to regeneration of melanocytes, which cause pigmentation of the skin.
Ultra thin skin grafting, where a thin layer of skin is grafted on to promote the transference of melanocytes, and suction blister grafting are variations of the same line of treatment. These two cures have also been reasonably successful in most cases.
There are some other treatments available too, both in conventional medicine and in alternative therapies, which offer varying degrees of success. Moreover, with recent advancements in medical science and growing interest in stem cell research, a complete cure for vitiligo may be just round the corner.
Drastic alterations in the complexion can be traumatising for the patients, and hence the need for treatment is felt so urgently by them and their families. Spreading of patches can either be stopped completely or their growth can be reduced through treatment. However, re-pigmentation of skin is possible too for patients who have not seen any noticeable spread of the disease for more than two years.
Oral PUVA therapy is the most common vitiligo treatment, which involves taking a prescribed dose of Psoralen about 2 hours before exposure to UVA light or sunlight. About 6 out of 10 vitiligo sufferers have seen positive results from this treatment.
Surgical options for vitiligo treatment have also become popular over the last decade. These usually involve a procedure known as miniature punch grafting. Using a punch instrument, a surgeon takes a number of punches from the donor's skin, each around 2 mm in diameter, and grafts them on to the affected areas of the patient's skin. After the surgery, the patients undergo PUVA therapy, which leads to regeneration of melanocytes, which cause pigmentation of the skin.
Ultra thin skin grafting, where a thin layer of skin is grafted on to promote the transference of melanocytes, and suction blister grafting are variations of the same line of treatment. These two cures have also been reasonably successful in most cases.
There are some other treatments available too, both in conventional medicine and in alternative therapies, which offer varying degrees of success. Moreover, with recent advancements in medical science and growing interest in stem cell research, a complete cure for vitiligo may be just round the corner.
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