Treatments available for Vitiligo
Sunday, April 19th, 2009Vitiligo is a common skin condition characterized by areas of hypo or De-pigmentation on the ski surface due to destruction or loss of melanocytes. These are areas where the normal pigmentation of skin is missing or deficient. These spots can be many or few, they may be tiny or cover the body. The spots normally appear on both sides of the person’s body in approximately the same place and they do not itch or hurt. While vitiligo is not a serious or life-threatening disorder, it has an impact on the social and psychological well-being of its victims. Many become embarrassed because of their impaired appearance, others experience a dramatic drop in their self esteem.
The exact cause is unknown. There is no cure available for vitiligo at present. However, there are various medical and surgical treatments available to produce re-pigmentation of the lesions to an extent up to 10 to100%.
What are the treatments available?
1. Medical Therapy
2. Photo Therapy
3. Laser Therapy
4. Surgical Therapy
Medical Therapy:
Medical management of the disease follows a conventional, proven, safer but slower line of approach. The options include
- Topical steroid therapy and/ or Topica Tacrolimus
- Systemic steroids have side effects if used long term
- Intralesional steroids are safer
Photo Therapy:
Photo chemotherapy is taking of oral psoralen followed by exposure of vertiginous patches to sunlight or artificial light sources. Photo therapy is using light energy without psoralen. Current therapies include
P-UVA - Ultraviolet -A light with psoralen
UVB - Ultraviolet B light
NB-UVB - (311 - 313 nm) this narrow band UVB therapy useful for generalized vitiligo
Targeted photo therapy:
NB-UVB is delivered to the skin through a fiber-optic in very high dose.