Vitiligo - A Social Stigma!
Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease of the skin due to a reaction between different cells within the body. Due to this reaction, the melanin-producing cells die causing white patches to develop on the skin. The exact cause is not known but stress, sometimes handling chemical agents can be a cause.
Vitiligo can be very disturbing to the patient as it carries a lot of social stigma along with it. But be rest assured it is easily treatable with medical and surgical modalities.
Topical creams like psoralens, TNF alpha inhibitors, growth factors can induce pigmentation in the skin. Oral psoralens with narrowband UVB phototherapy help in stimulating melanin cells in producing melanin and regaining the skin colour.
In case medical therapy fails, surgical options are available like skin grafting, melanocyte transfer, dermabrasion, tattooing etc.
Nowadays multiple treatment options are available and the patient can choose the modality that best suits their condition. Ask your dermatologist about a treatment option that would be appropriate for you.