Vitiligo Treatments – The Main Options That Patients Can Explore
Vitiligo is a disease where the skin loses the pigment that gives it colour, and white patches start appearing on the skin surface. The precise reasons for the development of Vitiligo, are yet to be identified. Vitiligo is chronic and this has made completely healing it difficult, but some Vitiligo treatments do offer a temporary or cosmetic cure.
Phototherapy is one of the most sought after Vitiligo treatment, under which, doctors carry out a controlled tanning of the skin using ultraviolet rays. The patient is required to use a substance called Psoralen either orally or by soaking the treatment area with it and the UVA rays are then directed at the affected area to stimulate melanocytes, the melanin producing cells.
As mentioned at the new vitiligo treatment website, grafting of skin is another remedy for Vitiligo patients. This is a surgical procedure where the affected skin is replaced with a melanocyte graft, which is expected to start producing melanin in the affected area.
In the worst scenario, where almost all of the skin has become diseased, de-pigmenting the healthy areas is sometimes recommended. White patches cannot be distinguished from the normal skin after this treatment, which is cosmetically a better alternative for most patients. De-pigmentation should however be done only when no other option is available, and any potential negative effects must be carefully considered.
Alternative Vitiligo treatments based on natural therapies are also available. Natural treatments often make use of Ginkgo biloba, and in some cases peppermint oil. Special cosmetics are also available in the market for covering Vitiligo affected areas.
A lot of work is still needed to fully understand this disease and its causes. However, these Vitiligo treatments provide some cosmetic options to the patients. With the fields of biotechnology and genetics advancing day by day, a better cure could be on the horizon.

















