Vitiligo Treatment in Ludhiana

Vitiligo: Types, Symptoms, Causes, Treatments

Table of Contents

• What is Vitiligo

• Types of Vitiligo or White Patches on Skin

• Symptoms of Vitiligo

• Causes of the Vitiligo Disease

• Vitiligo Treatments in Ludhiana

What is Vitiligo?

Vitiligo can be distinguished by white patches on the skin, a condition known as depigmentation (colour loss). This chronic condition, also known as leukoderma, is not life-threatening, transmissible, or treatable. Pigmented spots often become larger over time and affect areas all over the body, including the hair and the inside of the mouth. It affects about 1% of the population, and even though it affects people of all ethnicities and skin tones, it is more visible in individuals with darker skin tones. It affects the eyes, nose, hair, genitals, armpits, and the inside of the mouth.

The condition is photosensitive, which indicates that the affected area will be more sensitive to sunlight. Skin specialist in Ludhiana, Dr. Shikha Aggarwal at Bliss Aesthetics, understands the tremendous impact vitiligo can have on a person’s quality of life. She is an expert vitiligo doctor and provides advanced treatments to manage treatment for white spots on the skin effectively.

Types of Vitiligo or White Patches on Skin

Vitiligo is classified into two types: segmental vitiligo and non-segmental vitiligo.

• Segmental vitiligo: It is also known as unilateral or localised vitiligo, affects three out of every ten vitiligo patients but is more common in children. It only affects a small portion of a person’s body or one specific area, yet it can appear anywhere on the body.
• Non-segmental vitiligo: It is also known as generalised vitiligo or bilateral vitiligo, appearing as white patches on both sides of the body. It is the most prevalent type of vitiligo, affecting 9 out of every 10 people who have the disorder. It can appear on the backs of the hands, arms, knees, elbows, feet, and around the eyes.

Symptoms of Vitiligo

One of the primary symptoms of vitiligo is the loss of colour in areas of the skin. They typically emerge initially on the hands, face, and areas near the genitals. Other signs and symptoms of vitiligo include premature greying or whitening of hair on the head or face and loss of colour in the tissue that borders the interior of the mouth and nose (mucous membranes). It can arise at any age; however, it is most frequent in people over the age of 20.

Causes of the Vitiligo Disease

Vitiligo occurs when melanin-producing cells (melanocytes) stop producing melanin (the pigment that gives skin colour) or die. It is currently unknown why this occurs; however, a few theories have evolved, including:

• Autoimmune disorder: The immune system of the person with the disease may produce antibodies that damage melanocytes. Vitiligo patients may be predisposed to various autoimmune illnesses. In addition, patients with autoimmune illnesses are more likely to acquire vitiligo.
• Family background: Certain hereditary factors that increase an individual’s risk of developing vitiligo can be inherited. Thirty percent of vitiligo cases are inherited.
• Stress: Physical or emotional stress can also cause vitiligo. Vitiligo can also cause emotional distress, affecting a person’s outlook and social interactions. For more details on vitiligo skin treatment, get in touch with Dr. Shikha Aggarwal, to get advanced and effective treatment for white spots on skin.

Vitiligo Treatments

Treatment options for white spots on the skin range from topical therapies to systemic treatments to surgical procedures, and during the initial appointment, a skin specialist in Ludhiana may assist patients in developing a treatment plan that is appropriate for their condition’s needs.

1. Physical Therapy

Many individuals respond to light treatment (NB-UVB), which can be paired with oral or topical medication. Substantial courses of therapy are frequently required for an optimal outcome, and an obvious benefit is usually not apparent until four sessions of therapy.

Excimer UV light stimulates pigment cells to pigment by targeting the skin’s immune system and is useful for small white patches on the skin.

For some patients, skin specialists in Ludhiana provide home-based phototherapy.

2. UVA Phototherapy

Psoralen and UVA (ultraviolet A light) treatment involves first taking a medicine that makes the skin more susceptible to ultraviolet light, followed by exposing the skin to high doses of UVA light.

3. UVB Phototherapy

The most often used treatment for vitiligo in Ludhiana is to expose the skin to UVB (ultraviolet B) lamps. This procedure takes place approximately 2-3 times every week. Where there are white spots across vast portions of the body, UVB broadband and narrowband lamps can be used in this treatment. UVB phototherapy combined with other topical therapies can improve re-pigmentation.

4. Surgical Procedures

Surgery may be an alternative for those with limited, stable vitiligo. This involves the use of the patient’s skin and transplanting pigment cells from the unaffected skin into the affected areas. Punch grafting, suction blister grafting, and new cellular grafting procedures are all used for melanocyte transplantation.

5. Camouflage

Highly skilled use of camouflage specialist make-up products can assist in concealing the affected areas while waiting for medical therapy to take effect. Camouflage (highly pigmented cosmetics) is often an option for patients, especially if the involvement is limited to a small area.

6. Depigmentation Therapy

In cases where the affected skin is not responding to previous therapies or when the vitiligo is especially severe, medications might be used to lighten the darker surrounding skin (to lessen contrast). Topical medicines may be used to get the same colour on the unaffected skin. Some medicines are also used to remove all skin pigmentation in a long-term and powerful approach. Safety from UV rays must be followed throughout one’s life to avoid serious sunburn and melanomas. When the affected area is large, spanning more than half of the body, depigmentation may be a preferable alternative.

7. Topical Medications

A powerful or super-potent corticosteroid that can be applied to the skin is the most commonly recommended topical medication. To improve the results, a corticosteroid applied to the skin may be coupled with another medication. Corticosteroids are more effective in treating extensive vitiligo in patients with darkly pigmented skin.

Since vitiligo is a chronic skin disorder, it might be slow to respond and have variable results. It is a skin condition with white patches that has the potential to come back at any time. The ultimate goal, however, is to stop the spread of the disease and achieve as much re-pigmentation as possible. This is dependent on the area being treated as well as the degree of involvement.

For more details, meet the Vitiligo Doctor in Ludhiana, Dr. Shikha Aggarwal at Bliss Aesthetics. She can help one to achieve healthy skin with her effective treatment and tips. Consult her for more details!