Source of article : Vitiligo Treatment
What is Vitiligo? Vitiligo is a skin condition characterized by loss of pigment; this results in white patches appearing on the skin and mucus membranes.
Who Is At Risk Of Developing Vitiligo? Anyone can develop vitiligo and both genders have an equal chance of getting vitiligo. All races exhibit a similar prevalence of this condition. However, you are more likely of developing vitiligo if a parent has it, if you or someone in your family has an autoimmune condition (such as hyperthyroidism), and if you experienced graying of hair before the age of 35.
What Is The Prevalence of Vitiligo? Vitiligo affects 1 to 2% of the population worldwide and it is estimated that between two to five million Americans have the condition. Generally, vitiligo develops between the ages of 10 to 30.
What Causes Vitiligo? The symptoms of vitiligo arise because the melanocytes (the cells that produce pigment which gives the skin its color) are either destroyed or stop functioning. What causes this to happen is still debatable - it may be the result of an autoimmune reaction, genetics, or possibly an event such as sunburn or emotional stress.
Is Vitiligo Contagious? No, vitiligo is not contagious.
What Are the Symptoms of Vitiligo? People with vitiligo exhibit irregular white patches on different parts of the body, and these patches of grow bigger with time. Usually, the first white patches appear on the face, lips, hands, arms and feet. Later, they spread to other areas including the armpits, eyes, genitals and nostrils. Loss of pigment can also result in the eyes and hair.
How Is Vitiligo Diagnosed? A doctor will diagnose vitiligo by doing a physical examination, taking a patient's history and possibly carrying out a biopsy and/or blood test to rule out other conditions.
How Is Vitiligo Treated? Conventional medical treatments for vitiligo include: UV light therapy re-pigmentation, corticosteroids (oral or topical), skin grafting, skin tattooing, and in extensive cases of vitiligo, de-pigmentation of the rest of the skin to match the color of the affected skin.
Is Vitiligo Treatment Effective? Unfortunately no method has a guaranteed success. Steroids may produce some improvements if used in the long-term, but this is not recommended because of side effects. Light therapy is effective to an extent, but it is very time consuming and can cause eye damage, skin burns and skin cancer. Skin grafting should in theory be very effective, but in reality many complications occur, including rejection of the graft, infection, and abnormal appearance of the grafted skin (cobblestone effect).
Is It True That Vitiligo Can Be Cured Without Any Medications Or Surgery? Yes, there has been numerous research papers published that reported that in scientific trials, patients have been cured of vitiligo using a combination of 3 vitamins, herbal extracts or a combination of herbals and vitamins. It has also been shown that dietary changes can have a pronounced effect of the condition. A lot of research on natural cures for vitiligo has been carried out in Sweden.
For more information on natural cures for vitiligo, check out Michael Dawson's step-by-step guide "Natural Vitiligo Treatment System™". Michael Dawson is a UK-based certified nutritionist, independent biomedical researcher and holistic health consultant.
