Vitiligo tends to spread slowly. Occasionally, it spreads quickly. If you're seeing new patches and spots on your skin frequently, your dermatologist may prescribe a medication like prednisone. This is corticosteroid medication that can help slow down the disease.
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.
There is currently no known permanent cure for vitiligo. 17 However, you can sometimes restore color to parts of your skin to achieve a more even tone. Vitiligo treatment options include medications, light therapy, camouflage therapy, repigmentation therapy, and surgery.
If you have vitiligo on a part of your body that has hair, your hair may turn white or silver. The condition occurs when your body's immune system destroys melanocytes. Melanocytes are skin cells that produce melanin, the chemical that gives skin its color, or pigmentation.
Cuts, burns, and even the friction that occurs when skin rubs against skin have been found to set off vitiligo flares. This is due to a reaction called the Koebner phenomenon, which also occurs in other skin conditions, such as psoriasis and lichen planus.
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.
Studies suggest that vitamin D3 increases tyrosinase activity and melanogenesis in vitro [12], which may lead to repigmentation in vitiligo skin lesions. Calcipotriol and tacalcitol, which are vitamin D analogs, are also known to induce repigmentation in patients with vitiligo [13,14].
Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid
This is why it is always recommended to take these two vitamins together in order to treat vitiligo. According to some scientific studies, a combination of vitamin B12 and folic acid supplementation and sun exposure is a good strategy to regain natural skin color.
After 6 to 12 months, segmental vitiligo tends to stabilize, meaning that the color loss stops. Once it stops, most people with segmental vitiligo don't develop new patches or spots.
As you age, Dr. Mohta says untreated vitiligo often progresses to involve the surrounding skin or create new patches of discoloration. This is also known as generalized or nonsegmental vitiligo, which is the most common type.
With this most common type, called generalized vitiligo, the discolored patches often progress similarly on corresponding body parts (symmetrically). Only one side or part of the body. This type, called segmental vitiligo, tends to occur at a younger age, progress for a year or two, then stop.
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. A topical steroid may be prescribed to adults if: you have non-segmental vitiligo on less than 10% of your body.
Drinking water stored in a copper vessel will help you increase melanin in your body and reduce whiteness of patches caused by vitiligo. Basil leaves are known to have anti-aging and anti-viral properties. These properties of basil are important for dealing with vitiligo.
However, vitamin C is still considered to be able to increase melanin levels. For a vitamin C boost, you can eat foods rich in vitamin C like citrus, berries, and green leafy vegetables that can optimize melanin production. Taking a vitamin C supplement has a similar effect.
Among the biggest concerns with vitiligo is that the depigmented patches of skin are more susceptible to damage from the ultraviolet (UV) rays in sunlight. 3 This makes them prone to sunburn, and, especially if you have fairer skin, tanning makes discolored areas more prominent.
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.
It is thought that sunlight can be both good and bad for people with vitiligo, for several different reasons. For example, on the disadvantage side, some medical experts believe it's possible that sunburn could be a trigger for developing the skin condition.
Cutaneous manifestations associated with vitamin B12 deficiency are skin hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, angular stomatitis, and hair changes. A diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency is often overlooked in its early stages because these signs are not specific to vitamin B12 deficiency alone.
One study suggests that a high-dose vitamin D therapy may be safe and effective in reducing vitiligo activity. Sixteen patients with mostly darker skin type were given 35,000 IU daily for six months, combined with restriction of dairy products and calcium-enriched foods, and minimum hydration of 2.5 L daily.
Zinc plays a key role in the immune system, reproductive health, and sensory functioning, as well as neurobehavioral development. It is also an important coenzyme in the reactions of melanin synthesis. It has been suggested that zinc supplements are a beneficial adjuvant therapy for patients with vitiligo.
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.
In conclusion, the findings from this study indicate that vitiligo patients have high levels of perceived stress. In patients predisposed to vitiligo, metabolic and psychological stress might influence the onset and progression of vitiligo.