Vitiligo Disease: 4 Vitiligo Treatment Remedies You Can Try

Vitiligo skin disease refers to the condition that causes white patches to develop on your skin [1]. They often symmetrically affect both sides of your body, such as your right and left hands. Some people experience discoloration in their eyelashes, hair, eyebrows or in the mouth and scalp. This condition affects up to 2% of people around the world [2].

The skin condition vitiligo can occur in people of any race. Vitiligo treatment involves a variety of options that can minimize the appearance of white skin spots. There is no cure for vitiligo disease but there are surgeries and medicinal options to help minimize the appearance. While it is not compulsory to get vitiligo treatment, you may opt for it for aesthetic reasons. Read on to understand the vitiligo skin condition better and know your options for vitiligo treatment.

Additional Read: Sunburn Treatment: 5 Top Remedies to Ease Your Pain and Irritation 

Vitiligo causes

The causes of vitiligo are not yet completely understood, but there are various different theories as follows.  

• Genetic factors – Around 30% of all vitiligo cases are inherited 
• Autoimmune disorder – In this case, the affected person’s immune system can develop antibodies that destroy melanocytes, which cause the skin to become discolored 
• Self-destruction – Melanocytes may also develop a defect that causes them to destroy themselves  
• Neurogenic factors – In such cases, a substance that is toxic to melanocytes may get released at the nerve endings in your skin  
• Other factors – Vitiligo may also be triggered by various events, such as emotional or physical stress.

Common symptoms of vitiligo disease and risk factors that accompany them 

Major signs of vitiligo include the following: 

• Patches of discoloration on the skin, which can include your eyes and the mucous membranes of your nose or mouth  
• Patches of skin discoloration on your head, hair and face that turn prematurely white or grey 

Vitiligo disease may lead to the following: 

• Extra sensitivity to sunlight so the affected skin area may burn instead of getting tanned 
• Abnormalities or sensitivities in retinas or color variations in irises, but vision is usually not affected 
• Other auto-immune diseases 
• Mental health problems due to embarrassment or feeling different 

Vitiligo treatment  

There is currently no cure for vitiligo. The goal of medical treatment is to create a uniform skin tone or restore the normal color of your skin.

Here are the common therapies for vitiligo treatment: 

Camouflage therapy  

Camouflage may hide vitiligo either permanently or temporarily by using cosmetics such as liquid dyes, foundations, self-tanning solutions or even micropigmentation, also known as medical tattooing.   

Light therapy 

Narrow band phototherapy requires 2 to 3 treatment sessions per week for several months to eliminate or slow down vitiligo. This treatment is generally very effective for people who have vitiligo in neck, head, arms and legs.  

Surgery 

There are various kinds of cosmetic surgery options such as skin grafting, blister grafting or repigmentation via cellular transplant. Make sure to consult your doctor and discuss what measures will work best for you.  

Medication

Corticosteroid creams as well as creams that impact the immune system may be used to restore skin colour. These may cause side effects so use them only when your dermatologist prescribes them to you.  

Depigmentation 

This vitiligo treatment lightens your overall skin so that it matches the discolored areas. This may take up to 9 months and may cause irritation, dryness and other side effects.

Additional Read: Contact Dermatitis: 2 Major Types and Effective Skincare Tips for Treatment!

While you don’t usually develop serious complications due to vitiligo disease, it may affect your vision, hearing, and make you more prone to sunburn. So, be careful of your overall health and make sure you treat your mental health too. It is common for those looking for vitiligo treatment to also feel stress and social stigma. Counselling can help you get your confidence back and break this cycle.  

For the best suggestions regarding vitiligo treatment, you can consult online dermatologist near you on Bajaj Finserv Health. Apart from vitiligo, you can get guidance for a range of skin conditions like chicken pox, dermopathy caused by Graves’ disease or something as simple as moles treatment. This way, you can address any issues that affect your skin and ensure your health is on track!