Vitiligo is a condition causing the skin to lose the pigmentation or color. There are smooth, light, or white areas on the skin, which are called patches or macules. Vitiligo usually starts with the forearms, feet, face, and hands. Almost 1% of the global population has vitiligo symptoms & treatment is also there for this condition. If you have hair in the vitiligo area, then it will also turn silver or white.
This condition primarily occurs when the immune system of the body destroys the melanocytes, producing melanin. Melanin is a chemical in the body that provides color or pigmentation to the skin. Vitiligo can affect all sexes and races equally and can develop at any age. Thus, visit a top dermatologist for vitiligo symptoms & treatment.
Who can get affected by vitiligo?
If you are suffering from some specific autoimmune disease, then there is a higher chance that you might get affected by vitiligo. These include Addison’s disease, Type 1 diabetes, Psoriasis, thyroid, anemia, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis.
What are the Different Types of Vitiligo?
- Generalized vitiligo causes patches to appear in body different parts
- Mucosal vitiligo affects the genitals or mouth’s mucous membranes
- Trichrome vitiligo creates a bull’s eye with a colorless or white center compared to the natural skin tone
- Segmental vitiligo affects a specific area or side of the body, like your face or hands
- Focal vitiligo is a rare type where macules develop in a tiny area and do not spread for 1 or 2 years
- Universal vitiligo affects almost 80% of your skin
What are the Vitiligo Symptoms & Treatment?
- Symptoms
Vitiligo symptoms and signs include:
- Skin patches or mucous membranes losing their natural colors
- Lighter or whiter skin tone compared to your natural skin tone
- Hair patches on the body turning gray, silver, or white
Mild to severe symptoms might appear on a small segment of the body and can affect a larger skin portion. Some people might also experience itchy skin before vitiligo starts to appear.
- Treatment
The top dermatologists will recommend a specific process for vitiligo symptoms & treatment. They will create a uniform skin tone by removing or restoring the natural color with the help of the following treatments.
- Medications
Some medicines can slow down the pigmentation losing speed and help the melanocytes to bring the color back or re-grow it back. Corticosteroids, Calcineurin inhibitors, and topical kinase inhibitors are some of the common medicines that doctors prescribe for vitiligo symptoms & treatment.
- Depigmentation Therapy
Depigmentation therapy eliminates the natural skin tone color to match the vitiligo-affected areas. This procedure uses a medicine called monobenzone to the pigmented skin areas, which will turn the remaining skin white like the vitiligo-affected skin.
- Light Therapy
Photo or light therapy is a treatment that will return the natural color to the skin. Dermatologists implement UV lights, medical-grade lasers, or light boxes directed at the patient skin for a shorter duration. You might have to go for numerous light therapy sessions for the vitiligo symptoms & treatment according to the area affected. Dermatologists treat larger areas of vitiligo-affected skin, like the head, upper arms, neck, legs, and trunk, by combining light therapy with a medicine called psoralen.
- Surgery
People with vitiligo can also opt for surgeries like below for the treatment.
- In blister grafting, a dermatologist implements a suction to create a blister on the skin and attaches the top of the blister to the vitiligo-affected area.
- In skin grafting, the doctor will remove the skin from one part of the body and cover another part.
FAQ
What are the first vitiligo symptoms & treatment?
Vitiligo first appears on the body as small skin patches on the arms, feet, hands, or face. These small patches extend to other parts of the body and become larger. Applying a corticosteroid cream early might help you to stop the vitiligo from spreading further.
Conclusion
Vitiligo can cause cosmetic changes to the skin and can make people uncomfortable and insecure or affect their self-esteem. Thus, always reach out to the best dermatologists before this problem gets out of hand and affects your mental health. You can also reach out to them for hair loss treatment in Gurgaon if you are experiencing immense hair fall.
