What are the Commonly Available Treatments for Vitiligo

Before learning about the treatments that are available to treatment, vitiligo, let us have an overview of the skin condition. Vitiligo is a typical skin condition in which the skin starts to lose its pigmentation, and white color patches start to develop on various parts of the body.

These patches are random, and but it is often seen that the body parts exposed to the sun tend to develop them first. In serious cases, these patches can even spread inside your nose and mouth. Also, it can turn your hair white around the affected skin.

The actual cause and how this condition spread is still unknown, but it is believed that this condition develops when the count of the melanin cells starts to decrease. Melanin cells are present in our skin, and they are responsible of the skin tone and skin pigmentation. If the count of melanin cells is higher than the skin will be darker and vice versa.

Well, vitiligo is considered a long term condition, and no treatment can completely treat it. But still, there are some vitiligo treatments available that can reduce the condition to a minimum. Here are some of the available treatments.

1. Topical Creams and Ointments

Topical treatments such as creams and ointment are available for vitiligo/leukoderma treatment, but they required prescription. These treatments are formed by corticosteroids and calcineurin inhibitors, which are considered as powerful anti-inflammatories. It is seen that if the inflammation is decreased, it can reduce the pigmentation, and in some cases, it can completely heal the skin. Due to the powerful action the creams and ointment, they are not recommended for children, old people, and people with sensitive skin.

2. Photo Therapy Treatment

Photo therapy treatment or more commonly known as light therapy treatment is also used for treating vitiligo. In this process, the vitiligo affected skin is exposed to UV light of specific power and wavelength. This light penetrates deeper layers of the skin and helps in increasing the concentration of melanin cells. This treatment can be used for body parts like arms, head, legs, neck, and trunk.

3. Skin Lightening Treatment

Skin lightening treatment is also known as a de-pigmentation treatment. This treatment is recommended to the people with a severe case of vitiligo. Skin lightening is done using chemical agents that are applied of the unaffected skin. It is done to make the tone of the unaffected skin the same as the vitiligo affected skin. This treatment requires a long term treatment, and it is necessary to apply the agents twice a day for around a year. This treatment also tends to develop side effects like sun sensitivity, redness, rash, and swelling.

4. Laser Treatments

The basic objective behind this treatment is to remove the effect using a high power laser. This treatment is not recommended to everyone because of the after-effects associated with it. This treatment can cause pain, permanent skin damage, and it requires a long time for recovery.

Conclusion

These are treatments available for people affected with vitiligo. As we have seen, these treatments can be easy, without any side effects, and they can also be painful and can cause permanent damage. So if you are suffering from vitiligo, think before going for any treatment and plan your treatment with an expert.

Hello there, I am Mayra Singh and I am a content writer from India. I like to read and write about dermatology and different treatment, conditions and technology related with it.