vitiligo treatment

We usually take our skin’s pigmentation for granted till we either lose it or have too much of it. Vitiligo or leucoderma is a pigment disorder in which there is loss of skin color leading to milky white patches on the skin. People of all races and ethnicities have Vitiligo.

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The diagnosis of Vitiligo can be confirmed by a skin professional. Not all white patches are Vitiligo. Fungal infections, healed eczemas, sun allergies, and guttate hypomelanosis are common conditions which can mimic early Vitiligo. So when one sees white-colored patches on the body they should consult an expert to verify the diagnosis and allay fears. There are characteristic signs that differentiate white patches caused due to vitiligo from those caused due to fungal infection. Vitiligo patches appear as irregular milky white patches with a well-demarcated outline that is darker than the other skin. Fungal patches, on the other hand, are faint white and appear flaky on the surface. They occur mostly on sweat prone areas and distinctly glow underwoods lamp.

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For many people, the appearance of Vitiligo spells doom. Almost everyone begins to imagine the worse. However, it is important to note that today there is more research and more treatments options available than ever before. In addition to topical applications and melanin stimulating oral medications, therapies like PUVA, narrow-band UVB, lasers, skin grafting, and pigment transplantation and the use of immunomodulators have been developed.

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