Vitiligo (ด่างขาว)
Vitiligo is not a serious illness or a contagious disease, but it affects appearance and can cause distress to those affected. However, for some people, such as those with already fair skin or who are not particularly concerned, treatment may not be necessary. They might simply need to take extra care by using sunscreen and avoiding sunlight to prevent further damage to pigment cells. Wearing clothing or using cosmetics to cover the affected areas can also help boost confidence. Nevertheless, if someone is worried, treatment options are available.
Symptoms of vitiligo include white patches on the skin, which may appear as a single spot or multiple spots that can spread over the body. Common locations for these patches are the face, around the mouth, around the eyes, neck, hands, fingertips, arms, legs, and areas prone to friction such as elbows, knees, wrists, and the back of the hands.
Treatment for Vitiligo
You should consult a doctor to examine the characteristics of the lesions, as some areas that are not visible to the naked eye can be examined using a Wood lamp. This helps in providing a more accurate diagnosis and treatment. Treatments to stimulate pigment return include:
- Topical Medications: Such as Corticosteroids, Tacrolimus, and Vitamin D Analogues. In some cases, topical treatments alone may be sufficient.
- Ultraviolet (UV) Light Therapy : Using a Full Body Phototherapy machine with a narrow band of 311 nm UV light. This is used when the white patches cover a large area. Treatment results depend on the location of the lesions and require continuous and consistent therapy. For extensive cases, it may be combined with topical medications.
- Skin Grafting : Involves taking skin from areas with normal pigment, processing it in a specialized laboratory to extract pigment cells, and transplanting these cells to the white patches. This is used when other treatments are not effective.
- Laser Therapy : Such as Excimer light with 309 nm wavelength, used for small areas to stimulate pigment cells. It requires at least twice a week for 24-48 sessions and is often combined with topical treatments for better results.
- Skin Bleaching : For extensive cases where normal skin areas are minimal, skin bleaching may be used to even out the skin tone by using agents that inhibit pigment production, making the skin uniformly light and less noticeable.