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How to find the best skin doctor for vitiligo
When you are looking for a specialist if you have white patches, the first question that strikes your mind is how to find the best skin doctor for vitiligo. Vitiligo is one of the most common and most embarrassing skin diseases. It can make you feel uncomfortable and depressed as it turns your personality upside down by causing depression and affecting self-esteem. Vitiligo also leads to isolation and affects relations with family, friends, and colleagues.
Why do we prefer an expert skin doctor or dermatologist?
Vitiligo treatment involves stimulation of autoimmune response and repigmentation of lost skin cells. You cannot do it without the help of a skin doctor, whether you are looking for a dermatologist or an aesthetician.
This is why we look for the best skin doctor for vitiligo:
- To diagnose vitiligo – to tell you that your white patches are not because of any other skin disease and to tell you whether there is any treatment
- To determine the best form of vitiligo treatment for your skin – the one that would be most effective and safe at the same time
- To help you find suitable products, cosmetics, etc.
- To advise you on nutrition and suggest exercising that will be good for your health
- To maintain the obtained results by informing about any changes to your skin.
How will a dermatologist or skin doctor diagnose vitiligo?
A dermatologist or skin doctor will evaluate your vitiligo by looking at the condition of white patches first.
He will also observe how extensive the white patches are, where they are located on your skin, and what may be causing them. Then he would perform a patch test to check if you have any other allergies.
He would make sure that you have no other skin diseases and that your white patches are vitiligo.
Secondly, he will determine the best form of vitiligo treatment by examining the color of skin patches under a microscope. You may also undergo a blood test to establish if you have any antibodies against pigment cells.
A dermatologist can also ask for family history to see if the other members have similar skin diseases or not.
A dermatologist can also ask about any history of stress or trauma associated with vitiligo, as stress can aggravate symptoms.
Once a dermatologist has examined you, he will start recommending treatment for vitiligo. The form of treatment depends on the severity of your skin disease and its extent. It may include using unique vitamin complexes, lights therapy, laser treatment, or surgical procedures.
What are the treatment options a skin doctor or dermatologist can suggest for vitiligo?
Treatment options are based on the cause and stage of your skin disease:
Vitiligo may have a genetic component – an autoimmune reaction against pigment cells resulting in the occurrence of white patches, which will grow until they cover the entire body surface if not treated in time. This is why you need to visit a dermatologist for regular check-ups even when you don’t see any new white spots on your skin.
Medications:Â Anti-inflammatory corticosteroids are commonly prescribed for vitiligo to alleviate symptoms such as itch and irritation. A skin doctor may recommend other ointments that can be more effective in your case, depending on your skin type.
Phototherapy:Â is highly recommended by dermatologists because of its fast and lasting results with minimal risks of side effects. In phototherapy, a medical device emitting ultraviolet rays is used to cover the affected areas of the body with light for 30 minutes per day. The irradiated area will become pigmented within a few weeks – you will see small dark spots appearing first, which after two months or so, become fully-fledged pigment cells as the new ones from underneath them.
This method has been found to work best when combined with other vitiligo treatment options.
Laser therapy:Â is another effective treatment option. It is a form of phototherapy where an array of lasers is used instead of only one device emitting ultraviolet rays; this enables the dermatologist to cover larger areas with light more quickly and effectively.
Surgical treatments: Your skin doctor will suggest surgical grafting and other procedures if your vitiligo does not respond well to initial treatment.
How do we find a skin doctor for vitiligo?Â
1. Usually, it is not too difficult. Every city has a unique centre for dermatology with experienced and accredited skin doctors so that you can find such a clinic at your location.
- You can take the help of your close people or friends who already had some issues with their skin.
3. You can find a professional online through reputable websites and forums where people share information about the best dermatologists for vitiligo treatment.
- Some websites present some top vitiligo specialists in your country.
5. Websites of medical clinics also offer some information about the specialists.
6. You can choose a local dermatologist, especially if you will visit them regularly. A local skin doctor may know some other skin doctors with more experience in vitiligo treatment. A local skin doctor will evaluate your skin and suggest possible options for the best treatment of vitiligo.
7. You can contact your family doctor and ask him to recommend a professional in this field if he already knows one with good references.
8. You could also ask for some doctors working at local hospitals or health centres, especially plastic surgeons and ophthalmologists; they are often specialists in different skin diseases. You can also ask your ophthalmologist about some possible treatment options for vitiligo.
9. Doctors who work at local pharmacies are sometimes psychologists, so they may also help you with the psychological issues caused by vitiligo and will be able to refer you to a specialist dermatologist if needed.
What should I do after I contact a skin doctor?
1. Make an appointment for the first visit; bring some photographs of your vitiligo and other medical information about you (diabetes, thyroid disease, heart disease, etc.) and family members (if possible).
- You can ask your skin doctor or dermatologist whether any treatments could cause some complications or side effects.
- Ask the skin doctor to examine your skin, especially when you have problems with treatments, side effects, or even during preventive visits. Ask for a second opinion if needed. You can also ask a dermatologist about some other treatment options and share their opinion with your family doctor.
- Ask the skin doctor to give you some advice on nutrition, exercise, and cosmetics that will be good for your health and vitiligo (you can provide more information about them).
- Ask whether it is possible to find a specialist in that field who works close to your city or town.
- Call your skin doctor if you see some changes in your vitiligo, as they can be the first sign of a new stage of the disease and require an immediate examination.
- Take records about your visits: notes about changes to your skin condition, any vitamins or other medications prescribed by a dermatologist, the names and telephone numbers of specialists you see, etc.
- Ask your doctor about possible complications or side effects caused by vitiligo treatment. Some medications can cause hair loss or thin and other issues, so it is essential to know what to do if something happens.
- If you have any questions or concerns about your experience with the skin doctor, you can ask them to address them when you visit next time
How often should I see a dermatologist or skin doctor?
- It is recommended to see a dermatologist every two months to follow the progress of vitiligo treatment and check possible side effects.
- If you are also taking medications for other health problems, it is recommended to visit a dermatologist more frequently. Suppose you have diabetes or any other conditions affected by specific treatments. In that case, it is essential to keep track of your blood sugar level and report the changes to a specialist at regular intervals.
How much does a skin doctor charge for vitiligo treatment?
- Treatment can vary from doctor to doctor, treatment to treatment, and some medications are costly. Therefore, you need to know about the different vitiligo treatments and talk with your dermatologist about them.
- Sometimes, some local doctors do not have experience treating vitiligo, so it is essential to visit a specialist.
- Dermatologists usually use two types of treatments: conservative (non-invasive) and surgical or invasive ones. The former includes ultraviolet light therapy, oral medications, topical drugs, corticosteroids injections.
- You can ask a dermatologist whether any treatment options would work for you and which one would be more affordable.
- If you are unsure about the first treatment option, you can ask your doctor to wait for a little with the therapy and get a second opinion. You can ask about alternative treatments as there is evidence that alternative therapies like homeopathic treatment help to bring back the pigmentation.
Homeopathic treatment for vitiligo:
What is the homeopathic treatment? Why should you use it to treat vitiligo?
1. Homeopathy is a relatively new kind of medicine that originated in the 18th century and was developed by German physician Samuel Hahnemann who noticed that when some substances are used to treat diseases, the effects are opposite to what we would expect from those drugs; for example, coffee can be used as a remedy for drowsiness. This was later named “the law of similar that,” meaning a substance that causes high doses symptoms can be used to treat diseases caused by deficiencies of the same meaning. This principle is now known as the basis of homeopathy.
- Homeopathic remedies are prepared according to unique recipes known as repertory and Materiamedica; a collection of all homeopathic drugs sorted by their effect on various diseases. They are safe and have no side effects. The homeopathy doctor at Dr Batras treats skin diseases differentiates between constitutional and topical homeopathy.
- Homeopathic remedies can also be used to relieve specific symptoms associated with vitiligo, such as itching or tingling sensations that may arise during sun exposure or cold weather; dryness of the skin can lead to cracking. Avoiding these issues will help patients not only reduce their suffering but also speed up the recovery process.
- Homeopathy can be used as an alternative treatment for patients who are not experiencing enough results from their current treatment. Or cannot take certain medications due to health problems; however, any homeopathic remedy needs to be prescribed by a qualified doctor. For this, you can visit Dr Batras homeopathy clinic.
5. Homeopathic remedies help vitiligo sufferers recover their natural skin coloration, but it usually takes some time (it depends on a  person’s body and the condition itself). Usually, there are two possibilities for this matter: either you will see improvements in your coloration after 3-4 months, or these changes will be gradual and continuous for up to 2 years. The recovery period is different for people with localized or generalized diseases and depends on various factors.
- Homeopathic remedies can be used alone or as an addition to other topical or non-invasive treatments. Homeopathy can be combined with vitiligo phototherapy, topical ointments, steroids, and more, depending on your preference. The aim is to promote skin cell regeneration and the adaptive response of the body’s immune system against hyperpigmentation.
- You should bear in mind that homeopathy always starts with a consultation with a specialist who will determine the best course of treatment for you considering all factors, including your medical history and lifestyle habits.
Many treatments are available today for vitiligo, but not all of them can help you shine like the beautiful person you are. You deserve the best treatment that will bring back your natural skin colour; fortunately, there is a large variety of options to choose from, so it’s impossible not to find something that would suit you. All you need to do is visit an experienced doctor and explain your situation to a skin doctor who can give you professional advice on what therapy would be most suitable for your skin condition. You can book an appointment through OHO Homeopathy and get the best vitiligo treatment good luck!