Vitiligo is a skin condition that causes the loss of colour in some regions of the body. This occurs when melanocytes, the cells responsible for colouring your skin and hair, are destroyed or stop working. Vitiligo can occur on any part of your body, including your scalp and hair. Vitiligo can affect just one strand of hair. The amount of pigmentation lost with vitiligo varies from person to person; some people lose a little while others have a more extensive loss that may be noticeable all over their bodies. There’s no way to prevent vitiligo from happening, but there are ways you can manage it, so it doesn’t lead to stress or depression.
Here are various methods by which vitiligo can go away:
Vitiligo can be treated with topical ointments that stimulate melanocyte cells in the body. A dermatologist will first determine if your vitiligo is stable or active, meaning it’s existing or showing signs of progression. If your vitiligo is steady (no changes to lesions over the last three months), you might not need to use these ointments. However, if your vitiligo is active and progressing, you will be prescribed a topical cream to apply at least twice a day for as long as it takes for the lesions in your skin to go away completely. Most doctors recommend vitamin D3 creams that contain calcipotriol or tacalcitol because they are the most effective topical treatments available against vitiligo.
This treatment is particularly effective when you have limited areas with vitiligo patches, especially if those spots are on your face or neck. In many cases, just one course of treatment can result in visible improvements. This therapy works by suppressing your body’s immune system, which reduces the activity of melanocytes and controls the spread of vitiligo lesions. Your dermatologist may prescribe corticosteroids in different forms, including ointment and cream formulations.
If you have extensive areas affected by vitiligo, taking oral medication can help restore your skin’s color. These medications are called immunomodulators because they reduce the body’s autoimmune reaction that causes vitiligo to come back again and again. Methotrexate is a potent immunomodulator drug commonly prescribed for this condition; it targets T cells in your immune system responsible for repigmentation. Side effects may include nausea, loss of appetite, headache, skin and mouth ulcers, and depression.
This therapy is particularly beneficial for people sensitive to particular drug treatment because it spares you from the side effects of systemic therapies such as oral medication like Methotrexate. Light therapy works best on areas that show white hair or patches surrounded by darker skin; it stimulates these spots with flashes of light at different wavelengths, including ultraviolet B (UVB). This allows melanocytes to produce more pigment, which results in your skin becoming less pale over time. Combined with topical treatments, this method has proven highly successful in treating vitiligo. Light therapy can help restore pigment and relieve symptoms associated with stress, anxiety, and emotional distress.
This therapy combines the use of a synthetic version of vitamin-A called psoralen, which makes your skin more sensitive to light and UVA exposure. Your dermatologist will prescribe this treatment for you if your vitiligo is widespread all over your body, mainly if patches of natural skin accompany it. You’ll have to take psoralen orally or apply it topically before you head in for an appointment; you’ll then undergo sessions with UVA light exposure three times a week until your doctor sees significant changes to the color and size of your lesions. This treatment is also effective in treating other skin conditions like vitiligo resulting from sun damage because ultraviolet rays restore melanocyte activity under the skin’s surface.
Your dermatologist may recommend surgery to remove the vitiligo patches on your face or other areas of the body where they are apparent. This treatment method is not commonly used for widespread areas of vitiligo because it’s usually less effective than light therapy and topical medications. It can help remove small white patches on your neck and hands, which tend to recur after applied topical treatments. If you choose this method, your doctor will remove as much healthy skin surrounding the lesion as possible before stitching up the site. The disease returns when melanocytes regrow in those spots, but there is no way to prevent them from doing so.
Taking supplements may improve or even reverse the effects of vitiligo and restore your skin color because they act as a replacement source of MSH (Melanocyte-Stimulating hormone)for your body to use. These supplements contain tyrosine, which stimulates the production of cysteine sulfoxide within cells to encourage cellular proliferation and wound healing. Cysteine is then used with sulphur to create melanin pigment in areas affected by vitiligo due to a lack of MSH.
This last treatment option is one of the least effective ones because it only works on a small number of people suffering from vitiligo. It involves applying a mono benzyl ether hydrochloride medication, which strips off the remaining melanocytes in your skin to provide temporary relief from pigment loss. It’s only useful in small areas of vitiligo where the skin is still healthy and has not been damaged by sun exposure. It is usually reserved as a last resort because it may result in permanent color loss after its application, further reducing your body’s ability to produce melanin pigments and cause other unwanted effects like pain and scars.
Lavender oil: It is one of the best home remedies for vitiligo because it’s a rich source of linalool, which exhibits anti-inflammatory properties. Lavender oil may help restore skin pigmentation in areas affected by vitiligo due to its ability to inhibit melanin production and protect antigens from damaging UV rays. To treat this condition using lavender oil, add two drops to your bath water or dilute it with coconut, jojoba, wheat germ, or grapeseed oil before applying it topically on the patches.
Olive Oil:Â One study found that the application of olive oil led to an increase in pigmentation in 50% of patients with vitiligo after eight weeks of treatment. It exhibited a similar effect on mice with depigmented skin, which increased their melanocytes by 62% after four weeks of topical application.
Coconut Oil: You can apply coconut oil topically to speed up the process of treating your condition because it contains approximately 50% Lauric acid and 40% Capric acid that stimulate collagen production and reduce melanin transfer in pigment cells called melanocytes.
Avocado oil: Vitamins A, D, and E help stimulate collagen synthesis and skin cell regeneration for faster healing of damaged skin cells which play a significant role in pigment formation.
This spice gives curry its yellow color and contains about 2% of Curcumin, a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. Studies show this substance can suppress the production of Melanin in melanocytes to provide relief from pigment loss in skin affected by vitiligo.
Not only does turmeric treat vitiligo, but it also helps protect your skin from further damage in the future. It’s widely used in Indian and Asian homes as a natural antiseptic against bacteria and fungi that cause skin infections like warts, dermatitis, cuts, and burns. Consuming this spice can help provide anti-inflammatory effects to relieve people of various autoimmune diseases like asthma, arthritis, or psoriasis.
You can apply ginkgo Biloba extract or use its purified components, Flavonoids, and Terpenoids topically on the patches affected by vitiligo to boost your body’s immune system and increase Melanin production in melanocytes.
Lemon juice mixed with honey: This solution helps treat vitiligo due to its antioxidant properties that trigger endogenous pigmentation in the skin by blocking the enzyme Tyrosinase, which is involved in melanin synthesis.
In addition to applying these essential oils, you can also eat some types of food that contain naturally occurring chemicals called Melanogenesis inhibitors. These substances prevent the production of melanin and protect your cells from UV damage.
Yes, homeopathy treatment can help to treat vitiligo.
Treatment is made up of two stages.
In addition to being effective and safe for patients, homeopathy treatment for vitiligo also helps reduce side effects associated with other conventional treatments like steroid creams or ultraviolet radiation therapy. For information, you can book an appointment through OHO Homeopathy!
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