Vitiligo drugs and other effective treatments

Vitiligo is a disease in which melanocytes, the cells that produce skin pigment, die or can't work, so the skin loses its color and turns pale white. So, can vitiligo be cured? Is there a potent cure for vitiligo?

Vitiligo at a glance

Vitiligo is a disease that causes skin discoloration. The occurrence is characterized by the appearance of patches of skin that are lighter in color than the color of the surrounding skin.

Over time, these spots can get wider. There is no way to predict how much skin will be affected. Not only attacks the skin on the body, the symptoms also appear on the hair (premature graying), the inside of the mouth, and even the eyes.

To date, the specific mechanism of vitiligo is unknown. However, it is likely that this condition is related to autoimmune problems.

It is thought that the immune system mistook melanocyte cells for germs or harmful foreign substances. Thus, T cells that act as infection fighters actually attack the melanocyte cells until they are destroyed.

This results in the formation of white patches on the skin, considering that the dead melanocyte cells are no longer able to produce melanin, the pigment that determines skin color.

Vitiligo is not a contagious disease and is not dangerous, but it can make sufferers feel less confident.

Can vitiligo be cured?

Many want to know whether vitiligo can heal or not. Unfortunately, there is no cure for vitiligo completely. Handling is more aimed at helping improve skin color and slowing discoloration caused by vitiligo.

Even if effective, the effects of these treatments are often only temporary and do not guarantee a halt to the spread of disease. Some therapies even have to be done repeatedly if you want to feel the effect.

However, vitiligo should not be left alone. Handling is still useful to protect your skin from further damage. Because, the amount of melanin in the skin is not sufficient to make the skin unprotected from the sun.

It takes a long time for handling to show its efficacy. Therefore, patience is needed when undergoing treatment.

Medicines and medical treatments for vitiligo

Here are a number of medications and procedures that are usually given to help treat vitiligo.

1. Topical steroid drugs

One drug that can be used to treat vitiligo is a potent or very potent corticosteroid cream. This cream is recommended for people with vitiligo who only have patches on a small part of their body.

This medication is more effective when used early in the disease and works best in people with darker skin. About 45% of patients who use this drug manage to regain some skin color within 4 - 6 months.

Corticosteroids have significant side effects, such as thinning skin, and the appearance of streaks on the skin (stretch marks). Therefore, the doctor will monitor the condition of the sufferer periodically during use.

If the area of ​​whitened skin expands rapidly, the doctor may give oral corticosteroid medication (taken by mouth).

2. Drugs that affect the immune system

Medications such as pimecrolimus or tacrolimus can treat small areas of vitiligo. As already mentioned, the emergence of this condition can be caused by the immune system attacking healthy cells.

The presence of these two drugs serves to inhibit the immune system from working. They also work effectively on skin that has lost pigment on the face and neck. Apart from treating vitiligo, these two drugs are commonly used to treat eczema.

Some of the side effects that may occur from these medications include skin becoming more sensitive to sunlight, burning or sore sensations, and flushing and skin irritation when you consume alcohol.

3. Depigmentation

If vitiligo has appeared white patches on most of the body, you can undergo depigmentation.

This process is done by applying a lotion containing hydroquinone which will dissolve the normal skin pigment so that the color is similar to the vitiligo patches.

Unfortunately, the depigmentation of the skin that you are undergoing will be permanent so that your skin does not have natural protection from the sun anymore. Other than that, hydroquinone also has the potential to cause the skin to feel itchy, sore, and reddish.

Because of the risks, this method of treatment is very rarely the patient's choice.

4. Vitamin D analogues

Vitiligo sufferers will be advised to avoid exposure to direct sunlight because it has a bad impact on the skin. In fact, vitamin D is an important source for maintaining healthy bones and teeth.

Therefore, most vitiligo sufferers need vitamin D supplements to ensure adequate vitamin D in the body. The use of this drug can be combined with corticosteroids or phototherapy.

5. Light therapy

Light therapy or phototherapy will be chosen if the patient's vitiligo patches have spread widely and cannot be treated with topical drugs.

This therapy uses ultraviolet A (UVA) or B (UVB) light to restore skin color that is affected by vitiligo. Excessive UVA exposure has the potential to increase the risk of skin cancer while UVB exposure will decrease it.

6. Laser therapy

Like phototherapy, this procedure aims to restore skin color to vitiligo patches. However, laser therapy is only effective for vitiligo which affects a small portion of the body's skin.

7. Skin graft surgery

In this procedure, the healthy skin from the part of the body that is not experiencing vitiligo is removed and used to coat the skin that has vitiligo patches.

Skin grafts can be performed if the vitiligo patches have only affected a small part of the body and have not progressed.

Before choosing a particular treatment, be sure to consult with your doctor first so that the procedure performed does not cause problems.

Don't forget to always use a sunscreen with SPF 30 every time you travel to protect your skin from sun exposure.