A non-vegetarian diet, including meat, eggs, and dairy products, is a good source of Vitamin B12. The normal B12 consumption is 2.4 μg per day. Only fifty to sixty percent is absorbed [16,17]. Vitamin B12 has been shown to be useful for repigmentation in patients suffering from vitiligo.
Avoid using creams/fruits containing hydroquinone
Certain fruits, such as blueberries and pears, contain hydroquinone which minimizes melanin production. So, make sure you do not add fruits, such as blueberries and pears, to your vitiligo diet as they may make your white skin patches whiter and aggravate the condition.
There's no specific diet plan recommended to treat vitiligo. Still, most research suggests eating a nutrient-dense, antioxidant-rich diet filled with fruits and vegetables. It's important to maintain a healthy diet throughout your life to reduce the risk of chronic disease and promote overall health and wellness.
Protect your skin from the sun.
A bad sunburn can worsen vitiligo. If you have a lighter skin tone, there's another advantage to protecting your skin from the sun. Without a tan, the lighter spots and patches are often less noticeable.
To the best of our knowledge, vitamin D significantly affects melanocytes and keratinocytes. Studies suggest that vitamin D3 increases tyrosinase activity and melanogenesis in vitro [12], which may lead to repigmentation in vitiligo skin lesions.
Foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids such as almond, walnuts, avocado and fatty fish forms a vital part of the vitiligo diet as it is known to improve blood circulation, prevent inflammation and trigger the immune system.
Vitiligo can be triggered by stress to the melanin pigment-producing cells of the skin, the melanocytes. The triggers, which range from sunburn to mechanical trauma and chemical exposures, ultimately cause an autoimmune response that targets melanocytes, driving progressive skin depigmentation.
According to the Vitiligo Speciality Clinic, there are certain foods that should be avoided to manage the symptoms of vitiligo. Juicy fruits rich in vitamin C like oranges and lemon, fermented foods like yogurt, alcohol and others like red meat, fish can cause the white patches to spread and worsen the condition.
Light therapy.
Phototherapy with narrow band ultraviolet B (UVB) has been shown to stop or slow the progression of active vitiligo. It might be more effective when used with corticosteroids or calcineurin inhibitors. You'll need therapy two to three times a week.
Avoid junk foods: Studies have shown that children who have a habit of eating a lot of junk are at a high risk of developing vitiligo. Also a lot of intake of chocolates, cheese, and coffee is also not good for patients with vitiligo.
To treat vitiligo, doctors generally prescribe vitamins, such as vitamins C, E, B12, D, and folic acid, in combination with other treatment regimens.
Make sure a major bulk of your diet consists of these vegetables, as long as you do not find it difficult to digest them. Protein – In case you yearn for animal products, opt for chicken breast, lean cuts of turkey, wild fish, and organic eggs. It is good to cook them lightly.
Lactoferrin, an iron-binding glycoprotein found in whey, is a non-enzymatic antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. A mouse study revealed the ability of lactoferrin to downregulate levels of TNF-α and IL-6, which are supposed to be involved in the pathogenesis of vitiligo.
Topical steroids. Topical steroids come as a cream or ointment you apply to your skin. They can sometimes stop the spread of the white patches and may restore some of your original skin colour.
What causes vitiligo? Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease. This type of disease develops when your immune system attacks part of your own body. If you have vitiligo, your immune system attacks cells in your body called melanocytes.
Antioxidant-rich foods may help prevent cellular damage and limit inflammation. Fruits, such as raspberries and strawberries, and vegetables, such as kale and spinach, are particularly rich sources of antioxidants.
Ruxolitinib (Opzelura™) is the only medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to restore lost skin color in people who have vitiligo. This JAK inhibitor is a cream that's approved to treat people 12 years of age and older who have non-segmental vitiligo.
A diet for vitiligo should also include foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and seeds, as these have anti-inflammatory properties which can reduce the inflammation that contributes to the development of vitiligo.
Vitamin C is not used and is contraindicated in treating vitiligo as it disrupts the melanin production pathways [21]. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that absorbs substances like calcium and magnesium.
Vitamin B12 has been shown to be useful for repigmentation in patients suffering from vitiligo. Folic acid (or vitamin B9) has been proven to be significant for treating vitiligo.
Cutaneous manifestations associated with vitamin B12 deficiency are skin hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, angular stomatitis, and hair changes.
Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease of the skin, which means that someone with vitiligo has an immune system that is malfunctioning in a small way. The normal role of the immune system is to protect you from infections and cancer.