How to identify vitiligo
Imagine you wake up one morning and find a tiny white spot on your face, you may assume the spot to be a normal white patch and leave it to disappear on its own. A similar thing had happened with Rohan when he was just 4-years old. He discovered a white spot on the left side of his eye.
He assumed it was a birthmark, it never spread and it wasn't bothersome, so he never worried much about it. Even his Mom said it was a birthmark because she had forgotten that he was not born with it. Later on, the patches started spreading to other parts of the body.
This was the time when he visited a doctor and came to know about his vitiligo skin disease.
What is vitiligo disease?
- It is a common condition in which the skin loses the pigment that determines its color.
- The extent and rate of color loss are unpredictable.
- It is also known as leucoderma and can affect the skin on any part of your body.
- It is generally characterized by irregular, pale, or milky white patches on the skin.
- It can affect people of any age, gender, or ethnicity
- The condition is not contagious or life-threatening.
While it is difficult for a person to identify a white patch as a vitiligo skin disease, it is important to educate people about this condition.
What does it look like? How can it be diagnosed and treated? Read on to know more.
What does vitiligo look like?
The key vitiligo symptom is the sudden onset of a single, few, or many milky-white patches of irregular shapes and sizes on the skin. Small areas of de-pigmentation gradually start spreading to involve larger areas of the body. The patches appear more prominent on dark-skinned people and can be quite disfiguring at times.
Also Read: The ‘White Lies’: Debunking Vitiligo Myths & Facts
Where does vitiligo start?
Vitiligo can affect any part of the body's skin. The hair and the interior of the mouth can also be affected. Vitiligo normally starts as a few little white patches that gradually spread over the body over months.
Vitiligo most commonly affects the hands, forearms, feet, and face, but it can also affect the mucous membranes (wet lining of the mouth, nose, genitals, and rectal areas), the eyes, and the inner ears.
The larger areas can sometimes continue to enlarge and spread, although they normally stay put for years. As specific parts of skin lose and regain color, the location of smaller macules varyand change throughout time.
The following are some common patterns seen on the body of vitiligo patients:
- Focal: the patches are limited to particular areas of the body
- Segmental: distribution of the patches is usually asymmetrical, affecting one side of the body
- Symmetrical: bilaterally symmetrical patches all over the body
- widespread patches spread all over the body
- Over bony prominences: the skin near the joints is affected
- Lip-tip vitiligo: vitiligo that is limited to the lips, tips of the fingers, and toes;
- Genital vitiligo: genital region of the body is affected.
Does vitiligo always spread?
As far as the progress of vitiligo disease is concerned, it is highly unpredictable. Some cases experience an extremely fast advancement, with quick involvement of large areas of the body, whereas in some cases, there may be a few small patches that do not change much with time.
Over time, some of the vitiligo patches may re-pigment themselves.
What should you do if you see vitiligo symptoms on your skin?
If you see any of the above-mentioned vitiligo symptoms, it is recommended to approach a homeopathic doctor soon. During the consultation, your doctor will be able to diagnose vitiligo disease by seeing white patches on the body — especially on sun-exposed areas — the hands, feet, arms, face, and lips. In addition, your medical and family history will enable the doctor to confirm your diagnosis.
Also Read: Understanding Vitiligo in Children
Is vitiligo an inherited condition?
Vitiligo can be passed down through generations, according to a study cited in a research statement for the American Vitiligo Research Foundation (AVRF), 20% of vitiligo patients' families also have vitiligo, with children and siblings facing the greatest risk. The inheritance pattern, on the other hand, can be complicated due to the presence of several causative factors.
Do you want to find out what kind of vitiligo you have?
Vitiligo and its impact on patients’ mental health
According to research published in the International Journal of Contemporary Medical Research (IJCMR), 70 percent of women and 54 percent of men with vitiligo who participated had experienced self-esteem concerns.
Vitiligo can be a challenging condition to live with because white patches are often visible to others; they are sometimes mistaken for indications of leprosy, leading to social isolation.
The misconception that vitiligo symptoms are contagious is partially to blame for the social isolation and rejection that persons with the vitiligo disease encounter. This can have a massive impact on the patient's mental health and damage his or her self-image which can lead to anxiety, stress, and depression that can worsen vitiligo symptoms.
Homeopathy treatment for vitiligo
The scope of the homeopathy treatment for vitiligo extends beyond the physical symptoms, and its approach is holistic. It addresses the underlying conditions of mental stress and depression that are seen in many vitiligo patients.
According to a study published in the BioMed Central Journal of Dermatology by the University of Toronto, the homeopathic medication Ginkgo biloba can effectively treat vitiligo and has been used to treat white spots for centuries. Homeopathy has also been shown to be successful in the treatment of vitiligo in several clinical studies. The patients who were treated in the early stages of their condition had the greatest outcomes.
Homeopathic medicines for vitiligo give long-lasting results unlike short-term results seen in conventional medicines. Homeopathic medicine is prescribed on the basis of individual case history so the underlying stress can be effectively treated with homeopathy which can bring about a positive result in the vitiligo treatment.
Homeopathy Treatment for Vitiligo helps to correct the melanin destruction thus prevents recurrence of the disease. Additionally, homeopathic medicines for vitiligo are natural and have zero side effects, and don’t cause any severe burns or blisters, which is seen commonly in the case of conventional medicine use.
Homeopathic medicine helps to trigger re-pigmentation and corrects the altered immune response. Associated diseases like thyroid and diabetes can also be controlled with homeopathic medicine and a proper diet regime.
Things to remember
Protect your skin. Use a sunscreen (SPF 30), enriched with echinacea, a natural moisturizer, which protects the skin from the sun’s harmful rays. It helps guard the skin against sunburn and long-term damage. It also minimizes tanning — this makes the contrasts in normal and depigmented skin less apparent
Conceal imperfections. Cosmetics that cover the white patches on the skin may improve one’s appearance and help one feel better about oneself. Such products may be particularly effective if one has vitiligo limited to the exposed areas of the body. Speak to your homeopathic doctor about products that are safe and also suit the affected individual’s skin best
Fish and milk myths. There is no need for dietary restrictions in vitiligo.
At Dr.Batra's® the homeopathic doctor uses the medical science of homeopathy to plan a personalized holistic treatment.
As authenticated by the American Quality Assessors (AQA), over the last 35 years, we've successfully treated over 45,000 cases of skin problems. Thus, we can offer a safe and scientific vitiligo treatment. The goal of the treatment is to stop or slow down additional melanocyte destruction while also encouraging regimentation in existing areas.
Our team of homeopaths, dermatologists, and dietitians collaborate to ensure you get the finest vitiligo treatment possible.
Also Read: 10 reasons Homoeopathy is good for Vitiligo
