Vitiligo is a condition characterized by a loss of pigmentation of the skin, resulting in the formation of discoloured patches, which over time may cover large parts of the body. Debate over what exactly causes vitiligo is still ongoing, but it is found that people who have vitiligo, diabetes or thyroid running in their families are more susceptible to this disease.
The social stigma attached to the disease produces devastating effects on the patients psyche, and this explains the urgency of patients to undergo vitiligo treatment. Spreading of patches can either be stopped completely or their growth can be reduced through treatment. However, in cases where no signs of growth are seen for over two years, a number of options for re-pigmentation are available as well.
One of the most popular vitiligo treatments is PUVA, in which the drug Psoralen that reacts with ultraviolet light to cause darkening of skin is taken by the patient orally, and this is followed by carefully timed exposure of the affected area to sunlight or artificial ultraviolet light. This treatment provides a significant cosmetic improvement in over 60% of the cases.
The last decade has also seen significant improvements in surgical vitiligo treatment. Most such treatments involve miniature punch grafting. Using a punch instrument, a surgeon takes a number of punches from the donor's skin, each around 2 mm in diameter, and grafts them on to the affected areas of the patient's skin. Once these take hold, PUVA treatment can be done to promote the reformation of melanocytes, which produce the colour in our skin.
Suction blister grafting and ultra thin skin grafting, where a very thin layer of skin is grafted on to cause the transfer of melanocytes, are other grafting techniques that are used to treat vitiligo. Both these treatments have shown satisfying results on patients so far.
Some other treatments can also be availed, offered by both mainstream medicine and therapies outside the scope of conventional medical practice, with success rates greatly differing in each treatment. Besides, there is a possibility that vitiligo patients can completely be cured of their disease in the near future, with all the developments that are taking place in stem cell research. - 30415
The social stigma attached to the disease produces devastating effects on the patients psyche, and this explains the urgency of patients to undergo vitiligo treatment. Spreading of patches can either be stopped completely or their growth can be reduced through treatment. However, in cases where no signs of growth are seen for over two years, a number of options for re-pigmentation are available as well.
One of the most popular vitiligo treatments is PUVA, in which the drug Psoralen that reacts with ultraviolet light to cause darkening of skin is taken by the patient orally, and this is followed by carefully timed exposure of the affected area to sunlight or artificial ultraviolet light. This treatment provides a significant cosmetic improvement in over 60% of the cases.
The last decade has also seen significant improvements in surgical vitiligo treatment. Most such treatments involve miniature punch grafting. Using a punch instrument, a surgeon takes a number of punches from the donor's skin, each around 2 mm in diameter, and grafts them on to the affected areas of the patient's skin. Once these take hold, PUVA treatment can be done to promote the reformation of melanocytes, which produce the colour in our skin.
Suction blister grafting and ultra thin skin grafting, where a very thin layer of skin is grafted on to cause the transfer of melanocytes, are other grafting techniques that are used to treat vitiligo. Both these treatments have shown satisfying results on patients so far.
Some other treatments can also be availed, offered by both mainstream medicine and therapies outside the scope of conventional medical practice, with success rates greatly differing in each treatment. Besides, there is a possibility that vitiligo patients can completely be cured of their disease in the near future, with all the developments that are taking place in stem cell research. - 30415
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