Vitiligo: Causes, Treatment, And Role Of Homeopathy In Treating It

Vitiligo is a skin condition in which white patches of skin appear on different parts of the affected individual due to the loss of a pigment in the skin. Normally, your skin cell contains melanin, which is a dark pigment that gives color to your skin. If melanin is either destroyed in a certain part of your body or not produced then your skin loses its color and leaves white spots resulting in a skin condition known as vitiligo.

Many people believe that vitiligo is hereditary or contagious disease, but it is not so. People need to be made aware that vitiligo is simply a skin condition which can be treated and it does not spread through physical contact. People need not look down upon individuals who suffer from vitiligo as it is harmless. Also, vitiligo is non-contagious and has no relation with leprosy. As soon as a person figures out de-pigmentation of the skin, he/she must be given immediate treatment rather than rejecting the affected person.

In India, it is common to consider the affected individuals or members of their family as unfit for marriage. Hence it is life-changing, even though it is neither contagious nor life-threatening. Those afflicted with vitiligo and their families face social stigmatization leading to low self-esteem, anxiety, embarrassment, anger, and even serious depression. So, you need to learn about causes, symptoms, and treatment of vitiligo to avoid misunderstandings resulting due to it and treat it effectively. Read on to discover all about it.

Causes Of Vitiligo:

Some of the prominent causes of vitiligo are as follows:

Auto-immune links
Hormonal cause
Genetic tendencies
Auto-cytoxicity
Koebner Phenomenon

Diagnosis:

Generally, vitiligo is diagnosed on the basis of clinical findings.
Vitiligo may be associated with other autoimmune diseases, particularly thyroid disease and diabetes mellitus.
Other associated autoimmune diseases include pernicious anemia, Addison disease, and alopecia areata. Patients should be made aware of signs and symptoms that suggest the onset of hypothyroidism, diabetes, or other autoimmune diseases.
Vitiligo is diagnosed by means of inspection with a wood lamp.

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Treatment:

Conventional RX

1) Systemic phototherapy

2) Laser Therapy

3) Systemic Steroid (Prednisone)

4) Topical Therapies

5) Depigmentation Therapies

6) Surgical Care

Conventional RX will give you result in less time, but for a long term, they have lots of side – effects. (Corticosteroid causes diabetes and high blood pressure.)

Supplements: Vitamin D analogues, Iron and Zinc Supplements, Vitamin B-complex supplements, and folic acid are known for their supportive role in recovery.

Alternative Treatment:

Let’s have a look at some natural ways that are effective and safe with no side-effects for treating your major health problems like vitiligo.

Homeopathic Management

Homeopathic medicines have shown very positive and encouraging results in most cases of vitiligo. Homeopathy offers you a comprehensive treatment, as it works on the root of the problem, helps you build up immunity and, eventually, restores the pigmented patches back to the normal skin color.

Homeopathy considers vitiligo as a local expression of a system disturbance. Vitiligo is a condition which requires an in-depth study of the individual case and only constitutional homeopathic treatment can help. The duration and success of treatment depend on the extent of the patches and the duration of the illness, other auto-immune diseases, and family history. Big patches require more days whereas small spots get treated faster. Also, if a patient has a strong family history of any autoimmune disease then he may need more time to appreciate recovery. Patches/spots on Muco-Cutaneous Junctions ( Lips, Eye, Nose, Finger Tips) becomes a difficult area to treat medically and require more time to see encouraging results with homeopathy.

Treating vitiligo is a long process and may require one year or even more to cure it completely. Constitutional homeopathic medicines stimulate the functioning of melanocyte to produce body’s own normal melanin pigment. As homeopathy treats it from within, when the constitutional treatment is completed satisfactorily, it is unlikely that the patches would reappear as compared to the treatment with conventional medicines. Also, homeopathic drugs are FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved, cost effective, and easy-to-use with no side effects.

Self Care Measures:

Expose the affected areas of the body to the early morning sun for 20-30 minutes daily.
Make sure that your diet contains enough iron. Include cereals, beans, lentils, and green leafy vegetables, which are some of the best sources of iron, in your diet.
Avoid consuming sour foods, citrus fruits, tamarind, fish, lobsters, red meat, crabs, and prawns.
Avoid stress and learn to relax.
Have a positive attitude.

– Written by Dr. Bhoomi, Associate doctor to Rajesh Shah

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