There are different types of vitiligo, each of which affects the skin differently and can be treated in various ways. The Esthetic Clinics offer different vitiligo treatments which are always tailored to a patient’s specific conditions.
While the exact treatment for vitiligo hasn’t been quite found yet, these treatments help manage the condition and prevent its spread. Some of them are even able to restore some original color.
Causes of Vitiligo
Vitiligo is a skin condition that occurs when there isn’t enough melanin in the skin. Melanin is the pigment that gives the skin and hair their colors and is produced by melanocytes (skin cells responsible for the production of melanin).
If you have vitiligo, it only means that you don’t have enough working melanocytes to produce enough melanin to give you skin color. This leads to the development of white patches on the skin or hair.
Vitiligo is believed to be caused by autoimmune conditions. What happens is that the autoimmune system tends to malfunction and attack good cells in the body instead of fighting foreign cells like viruses and bacteria.
In this case, your autoimmune system attacks the melanocyte cells, destroying them, hence the melanin deficiency.
Symptoms of Vitiligo
Vitiligo is mainly characterized by patches on the skin that are white or way lighter than the rest of the skin. The patches may start off pale, and eventually turn completely white. Sometimes you may notice that the center of the patch is whiter/ lighter than the rest of the surrounding area.
While vitiligo may appear in just about any part of the body, it is usually common around the mouth and eyes, face, neck, armpits, groin, inside the mouth, fingers, wrists, hands, and genitals. It may also develop on the hair roots like the scalp.
Vitiligo Treatments in Mumbai
If vitiligo is making you uncomfortable, causing aesthetic concerns, or other body consciousness and insecurities, you can opt to get treatments.
You can easily book an appointment with The Esthetic Clinics for skin assessment, diagnosis, and best treatment recommendations. You can work with Dr. Rinky Kapoor, a skin specialist, to tailor and customize your treatment plan.
Some treatments that may be prescribed include:
Skin camouflage – These are topical creams that are applied on the affected area, or the white patches to match the rest of the skin color or make the vitiligo invisible. They are usually waterproof and can last for up to 4 days on the body and 18 hours on the face.
Topical steroids – Topical steroids are designed to help prevent the spread of vitiligo. It sometimes also helps restore some color to the affected areas.
Phototherapy – Phototherapy is usually prescribed when the vitiligo is widespread, significantly impacting the patient’s life, and if other treatments haven’t been effective. During the treatment, ultraviolet B (UVB) or ultraviolet A (UVA) is used on the skin to help increase melanocytes to produce more melanin and prevent the spread of vitiligo.
Note that these treatments come with benefits as well as risks of complications and side effects. It is important that your dermatologist discusses with you both the advantages and disadvantages of the treatment before you begin.
