Vitiligo Treatments – Learn The 3 Essential Therapy Options That Are Available To Patients
Vitiligo is commonly identified by the white patches that it causes on the skin, due to a loss of pigment. The condition is also known as leukoderma and its exact causes are not fully understood. Vitiligo treatment is usually difficult because of its chronic nature, and a permanent cure is hard to achieve, but some procedures do offer partial relief.
Phototherapy, which artificially tans the skin through limited ultraviolet radiation, is a frequently used Vitiligo treatment. A drug called Psoralen is used under this treatment, and is either taken orally or is applied on the target area. Thereafter, the affected area is exposed to UVA radiation, which activates the cells that create melanin.
As reported at the dr mulekar vitiligo treatment website, another often used treatment is skin grafting. In skin grafting, doctors surgically replace the diseased part of the skin with a healthy melanocyte rich graft. The new cells start manufacturing melanin, thus re-pigmenting the skin.
Sometimes the disease ends up affecting almost the entire span of the patients skin. In such cases, artificial de-pigmentation of unaffected skin is an option. This process causes the non-white areas to fade somewhat as the skin colour is the same throughout, which is a better option cosmetically than having a patched skin. De-pigmentation should however be done only when no other option is available, and any potential negative effects must be carefully considered.
Some people also vouch for the efficacy of natural Vitiligo treatments. Peppermint oil and a naturally occurring substance called Ginkgo biloba are frequently used in such therapies. The white patches can also be covered using cosmetics specially made for the purpose.
Even though a lot of research is still required to identify the true causes of this skin disorder, these Vitiligo treatments can offer both long and short-term relief to the patients. Considering the recent revolutionary changes in biotech, a permanent cure for Vitiligo is a certainty.
