Vitiligo is a condition or disease that affects millions of people across the world. In Vitiligo, a person loses his skin pigmentation due to the destruction of melanocytes, which are cells responsible for melanin production. Vitiligo is an auto-immune disease that causes small white spots or patches on the skin.
These patches might occur symmetrically on the skin or can cover a large area or the whole body. Research has claimed that globally, around 1 per cent of the population has Vitiligo. In the following article, we will be talking about Vitiligo, its symptoms, its treatment, and whether it is possible to restore skin pigmentation after Vitiligo.
Symptoms of Vitiligo
Vitiligo disease causes white spots on parts of your body. The main symptoms of vitiligo are loss of natural color and pigments called depigmentation.
In vitiligo skin develops white spots on arms, legs, or any other body parts.
When there are white spots in the area around the hair, it may be a vitiligo autoimmune symptom. These patches may be visible on eyebrows, scalp, beard, eyelashes, or the skin around hair.
When you notice patches or loss of natural color inside your mouth or mucous membrane, it may start of vitiligo on lips.
When you notice inflammation or swelling in the eye, it may be a symptom of uveitis which may occur along with Vitiligo.
Treatment of Vitiligo
There are a few treatments available for Vitiligo, which are as follows:
Medication: There are few medicines available in the market for treating vitiligo that can help to slow down the speed of pigmentation loss, help in the regrowth of melanocytes, and bring color back to the skin.
Vitiligo Therapy: In vitiligo therapy, the depigmented part is pigmented, which focuses on the production of pigment-producing cells called melanocytes.
Depigmentation Therapy: In depigmentation, the color of your natural skin tone is removed to match the area affected by vitiligo. The drug monobenzone is used during this therapy.
Light Therapy: Light Therapy or Color Therapy is responsible for bringing back color to your skin. In this therapy, the light box, UltraViolet B lights, or medical-grade lasers are directed at your skin, and the results will be visible after a few sessions of light therapy.
Counseling: Vitiligo disease degrades the mental health and self-esteem of a person. The person affected with Vitiligo might feel demotivated and need someone who can console them and help them cope with the psychological impact of the disease. So, counseling is beneficial to bring back positivity and overcome anxiety and depression.
Surgery: Surgery for vitiligo is of two types: skin graft and blister grafting. In a skin graft, the skin is taken from any part of the body and used to cover the other part of the vitiligo skin.In blister grafting, suction is used to create a blister on the skin, and the top of the blister is taken to put on the Vitiligo skin.
Success Rates of Skin Pigmentation Reversal After Vitiligo?
Yes, it is quite possible to restore skin pigmentation after vitiligo. Around 10-20 percent of people who suffer from vitiligo successfully restore skin pigmentation after vitiligo treatment.
The success rate of treatment for vitiliginous skin is higher in the following cases:
People who speculate or receive an early diagnosis before the age of 20.
People who experience the peak of the condition spread within 6 months or less.
People with symptoms only around the face.
Conclusion
Vitiligo is an autoimmune skin condition that impacts people’s appearance and can even impact their mental health. In Vitiligo, white patches or spots occur on the body parts of a person that affect their natural skin tone. There are many symptoms of vitiligo related to skin discoloration and eye swelling.
Different treatment options are available, with higher success rates if the person undergoes diagnosis and treatment at an early age. With that, it is also advisable that if you face any white spots on your body, you should consult a doctor as it may be a sign of Vitiligo, or it can be non vitiligo white spots that may require immediate attention.