Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease that prevents areas of the skin from producing melanin. This results in white patches of skin across the body. Around 70 million people worldwide are thought to experience vitiligo. It can occur at any time in one’s life and is believed to have many potential causes from stress to sunburn to genetics.
Is there a cure for vitiligo? Unfortunately not. There are however various treatments that can restore colour to affected areas or reduce the appearance of vitiligo. This post delves more into some of these treatments.
What are some currently available treatments for vitiligo?
Medication
If vitiligo is still in the early stages, it may be possible to return colour to the skin by applying corticosteroid cream. The effects can be slow – you may have to wait several months to see a change. How it has been noted to be quite effective compared to other forms of medication.
Corticosteroid pills and injections may be another option. These may have faster acting effects and are recommended to those who have fast progressing vitiligo.
Such medication will need to be prescribed by a doctor. Be wary that steroid-based medication can have unwanted side effects in some people.
Phototherapy
Phototherapy has become a popular solution to vitiligo in recent years. This involves using UVB light to stimulate the production of melanin and help restore colour.
There are specialist clinics that can carry out this treatment. You won’t see effects immediately – in fact, most clinics recommend 2 to 3 sessions per week over several months.
Don’t want to be constantly visiting a clinic? Home phototherapy for vitiligo is another option. This involves using a handheld UVB device to apply treatment oneself.
As with corticosteroid treatment, phototherapy can result in potential side effects. Some doctors recommend carrying out phototherapy and using corticosteroid medication at the same time to increase the chance of restoring color to the skin.
Surgery
Surgery may be an option for restoring color to small patches of skin. Skin grafts can be taken from unaffected parts of the body. These are then used to cover affected areas of skin.
Surgery can cost a lot of money and have complications, so it is typically not a popular option. It is also not suitable for those wanting to restore color to large patches of skin.
Are there other options for managing vitiligo?
Instead of getting treatment to restore color to one’s skin, it is possible to simply conceal vitiligo by wearing make-up. There are concealers in various tones specially aimed at those with this condition.
Alternatively, you can learn to simply with your vitiligo. Many people these days are aware of the condition and are even used to seeing models and influencers with vitiligo. By embracing the changes in one’s appearance, you can save money on treatment or concealers.
Of course, vitiligo can have other negative effects – such as increasing the risk of sunburn. It is therefore important that you wear sunscreen regularly. This will stop affected areas getting red and sore, plus it could reduce the risk of problems like skin cancer. Make sure to wear high factor sunscreen to provide the best protection.
