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Non Surgical Solutions : Vitiligo Clinic
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What is Vitiligo?
Vitiligo is a pigmentation disorder in which melanocytes (the cells that make pigment) in the skin are destroyed. As a result, white patches of skin appear on different parts of the body. The hair that grows in areas affected by vitiligo may turn white. The cause of vitiligo is not known.
Who is affected by vitiligo?
About one to two percent of the world's population has vitiligo. The disorder affects all races and both sexes equally.
Vitiligo seems to be more common in people with certain autoimmune diseases (diseases in which a person's immune system reacts against the body's own organs or tissues) and in patients whose parents have vitiligo.
What are the Symptoms and clinical features of Vitiligo?
People who develop vitiligo usually first notice white patches (depigmentation) on their skin. These patches are more common in sun-exposed areas, including the hands, feet, arms, face, and lips.
Vitiligo generally appears in one of three patterns. In one pattern (focal pattern), the depigmentation is limited to one or only a few areas. Some people develop depigmented patches on only one side of their bodies (segmental pattern). But for most people who have vitiligo, depigmentation occurs on different parts of the body (generalized pattern). In addition to white patches on the skin, people with vitiligo may have premature graying.
Is vitiligo contagious?
Vitiligo is not contagious. If it were, many more people in the world, including doctors who treat vitiligo and family members of those with vitiligo, would have the condition.
Will the Depigmented Patches Spread?
There is no way to predict if vitiligo will spread. For some people, the depigmented patches do not spread. The disorder is usually progressive, however, and over time the white patches will spread to other areas of the body. For some people, vitiligo spreads slowly, over many years. For other people, spreading occurs rapidly.
How Is Vitiligo Diagnosed?
If a doctor suspects that a person has vitiligo, he or she usually begins by asking the person about his or her medical history.
Important factors in a person's medical history are a family history of vitiligo; a rash, sunburn, or other skin trauma at the site of vitiligo two to three months before depigmentation started; stress or physical illness; and premature graying of the hair (before age 35).
What Treatment Options Are Available?
The goal of treating vitiligo is to restore the function of the skin and to improve the patient's appearance. Therapy for vitiligo takes a long time--it usually must be continued for six to 18 months. The choice of therapy depends on the number of white patches and how widespread they are and on the patient's preference for treatment. Each patient responds differently to therapy, and a particular treatment may not work for everyone.
Current treatment options for vitiligo include medical, surgical, and adjunctive therapies (therapies that can be used along with surgical or medical treatments).
Depigmentation
Depigmentation involves fading the rest of the skin on the body to match the already white areas. For people who have vitiligo on more than 50 percent of their body, depigmentation may be the best treatment option. Patients apply (monobenzone or Benoquin*) twice a day to pigmented areas until they match the already depigmented areas. Patients must avoid direct skin-to-skin contact with other people for at least two hours after applying the drug.
The major side effect of depigmentation therapy is inflammation (redness and swelling) of the skin. Patients may experience itching, dry skin or abnormal darkening of the membrane that covers the white of the eye. Depigmentation is permanent and cannot be reversed. In addition, a person who undergoes depigmentation will always be abnormally sensitive to sunlight.
Are there cosmetics available to cover vitiligo spots?
Yes, there are many products out there to provide excellent camouflage of vitiligo spots. Some people prefer traditional waterproof makeup, designed to match every skin tone, and which can be applied to the spots only. Though they are waterproof, they are not always friction proof, and some men will not wear them. These types of covers are available in every skin tone, from very fair to dark black.
Autologous Skin Grafts
In an autologous (use of a person's own tissues) skin graft, the doctor removes skin from one area of a patient's body and attaches it to another area. This type of skin grafting is sometimes used for patients with small patches of vitiligo.
What is melanocyte transplantation?
The idea is simple: remove melanocytes from an unaffected portion of skin and transfer the cells to skin that has no melanocytes. Since melanocytes are the cells that give color to the skin, if the transplanted cells survive the procedure, they should soon produce pigment to begin the repigmentation process.
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