Vitiligo is described by the NHS Choices website as a long-term skin condition that causes pale, white patches to develop due to the lack of a chemical called melanin. It can affect any area of the body, but most commonly occurs on skin exposed to the sun, such as the face, neck and hands.
Conventional Medical Treatment for Vitiligo
Conventional medicine treats the cosmetic effects of the condition. The NHS Choices webpage states that treatment consists of "improving your skin’s appearance by restoring its colour", and goes on to say that "the effects of treatment are not usually permanent, and it cannot always control the spread of the condition." It says the doctors will begin treatment with sun safety advice, a referral for camouflage creams and topical corticosteroids.
Protection from the sun. NHS Choices says that sunburn is "a real risk if you have vitiligo", and that skin must be protected, and sun beds avoided. It recommends the application of a high-factor sunscreen, ideally with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or above, especially for those with a fair skin. It goes on to say, emphasising the cosmetic bias, that "protecting your skin from the sun will also mean you don't tan as much. This will make your vitiligo less noticeable."
Avoiding the sun can increase the risk of risk of vitamin D deficiency, which is essential for keeping bones and teeth healthy. Vitamin D supplements are therefore recommended.
Skin camouflage. This involves applying coloured creams to the white patches on your skin. These creams are specially made to match your natural skin colour. The cream blends in the white patches with the rest of your skin "making them less noticeable." NHS Choices also recommends self-tanning lotion (fake tan) to help cover vitiligo.
Topical corticosteroids. These steroid treatments are applied to the skin to stop the spread of patches, although as NHS Choices says, they are 'unlicensed' treatments for vitiligo, although doctors still prescribe them, apparently. a course of this treatment requires several visits to the doctor. The side effects of topical corticosteroids mentioned by NHS Choices include:
Homeopathic Treatment of Vitiligo
Homeopathy offers a comprehensive treatment as it goes to the root of the problem by helping build up immunity and eventually restores the pigmented patches back to the normal skin colour. This quotation comes from the Dr. Ajay's homeopathic website, which has been the main source of the following remedy descriptions. Dr Ajay describes that that can cure the condition.
"This is due to the fact that homeopathic treatment enhances the natural production of pigments. According to homeopathic philosophy Vitiligo not a disease in itself but an expression of an inner disturbed state of the body."
Dr Ajay warns, however, that Vitiligo is a chronic disorder, and so can take considerable time ... for it to be completely cured. He describes the following remedies.
Bacillinum
The patient is suffer from chronic cold, cough and occasional history of haemoptysis. He has loss in weight, loss of appetite, flat chested young boys & girls, prominent ribs & prominent clavicles. There is often a history of asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis and even T.B. in patients. Patients needing this remedy can be taciturn, sulky, snappish, fretty, irritable, morose, depressed and melancholic even to the point of insanity. The patients can be fretful, ailing, whines and complaining. Some are particularly frightened by dogs.
Hydrocotyle Asiatica
Dr Ajay describes this remedy as arguably the best for the natural treatment of vitiligo as it stimulates pigmentation, and reverses the symptoms.
Graphites
A Graphites patient may be obese with a history of suppressed itch. It is suited to patients who are excessively cautious, timid, hesitating; unable to decide about anything. They can be fidgety whilst sitting at work. They can be sad and despondent. Music can make her weep. The patient thinks of nothing but death.
Merc sol
In these patients there can be history of dysentery with mucus and blood, and jaundice with liver enlargement. Patients are worst at night with salivation. They perspire in bed and do not tolerate too hot or too cold a climate. They can have nervous affections following suppressed discharges. Children can have glandular and scrofulous conditions.
Nit Acid
Homeopathic remedy for vitiligo where white spots are found at the muco-cutaneus junction., especially at the angle of the mouth, eyes, nose, nipples, glans penis, vulva, etc. There may also be fissures at the same spots. In some Nit AC patients there can be a desire for eating chalk, pencils, etc., particularly in children.
Sepia
Mostly a female remedy, beside the usual white discolouration, these patients have irregular menses, either too early or too late, with scanty and painful menses in young girls. Leucorrhoea, prurites, dysparunia, and frigidity is often noted noted. Most of the patients complain of morning sickness, along with motion sickness, nausea, vomiting or headache whilst travelling in a car or bus. These patients often they prefer to be alone rather than in company.
Silica
This remedy is described by Dr Ajay as being very effective in treating not only vitiligo, but also Eczema. He says that a deficiency in Silica has been the cause of vitiligo for many patients.
Sulphur
Patients who need this remedy often have a history of suppression of skin diseases, or any other suppression, like suppressed diarrhea, dysentery, jaundice, typhoid and fevers. (Conventional medical drugs most often suppress these conditions). There is often heat in the palms, soles, eyes, anus, vulva, vagina & on the top of the head. Generally hot patient can feel chilly. They can be irritable and obstinate. Patients can have a nervous temperament and quick tempered. Their skin can be excessively sensitive to atmospheric changes. Often patients are lean, their shoulders can stoop, like an older man. They dislike standing, and will usually lean rather than stand upright. They can be prone to skin affections, and have an aversion to washing, with symptoms worse after a shower or bath.
Thuja
This remedy is useful in treating vitiligo where there is history of vaccination. Patients often dream of falling, startling in sleep. They often have warts on their face or body. There can be history of tuberculosis or respiratory diseases in the family. They often are very fleshy people, with a dark complexion, black hair, and unhealthy skin. They often have ailments from vaccinations. They often have strange or fixed ideas.
As with most medical conditions, finding the best homeopathic remedy, and enhancing chances of cure, is best done alongside a qualified homeopath. To find a homeopathy in Britain, visit this website Similar websites are available in other countries.
Conventional Medical Treatment for Vitiligo
Conventional medicine treats the cosmetic effects of the condition. The NHS Choices webpage states that treatment consists of "improving your skin’s appearance by restoring its colour", and goes on to say that "the effects of treatment are not usually permanent, and it cannot always control the spread of the condition." It says the doctors will begin treatment with sun safety advice, a referral for camouflage creams and topical corticosteroids.
Protection from the sun. NHS Choices says that sunburn is "a real risk if you have vitiligo", and that skin must be protected, and sun beds avoided. It recommends the application of a high-factor sunscreen, ideally with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or above, especially for those with a fair skin. It goes on to say, emphasising the cosmetic bias, that "protecting your skin from the sun will also mean you don't tan as much. This will make your vitiligo less noticeable."
Avoiding the sun can increase the risk of risk of vitamin D deficiency, which is essential for keeping bones and teeth healthy. Vitamin D supplements are therefore recommended.
Skin camouflage. This involves applying coloured creams to the white patches on your skin. These creams are specially made to match your natural skin colour. The cream blends in the white patches with the rest of your skin "making them less noticeable." NHS Choices also recommends self-tanning lotion (fake tan) to help cover vitiligo.
Topical corticosteroids. These steroid treatments are applied to the skin to stop the spread of patches, although as NHS Choices says, they are 'unlicensed' treatments for vitiligo, although doctors still prescribe them, apparently. a course of this treatment requires several visits to the doctor. The side effects of topical corticosteroids mentioned by NHS Choices include:
- streaks or lines in your skin
- thinning of your skin (atrophy)
- visible blood vessels appearing (telangiectasia)
- excess hair growth (hypertrichosis)
- contact dermatitis (inflammation of your skin)
- acne
- the prescription of stronger topical corticosteroids (with the accompanying danger of increased side effects).
- Topical pimecrolimus or tacrolimus (a treatment usually used for Eczeme, and not licenced for vitiligo). It is said to cause side effects such as burning or painful sensations, making the skin more sensitive to sunlight, facial flushing (redness) and skin irritation if you drink alcohol.
- Phototherapy (or PUVA treatment), where the skin is exposed to ultraviolet A (UVA) or ultraviolet B (UVB) light from a special lamp, alongside a drug called psoralen, "which makes your skin more sensitive to the light." NHS Choices says that this treatment "may increase the risk of skin cancer because of the extra exposure to UVA rays."
- Skin grafts. This is a surgical procedure that removed healthy skin from an unaffected area to cover an area where the skin has been damaged or lost. N HS Choices says that this treatment is time-consuming and not widely available in the UK. It has a risk of scarring and is not considered for children.
- Depigmentation. This is recommended for adults who have vitiligo on more than 50% of their bodies, although this is also not widely available. It involves painting normal skin to "bleach away the pigment and make it the same colour as the depigmented (white) skin." A hydroquinone-based medication is used to do this, which NHS Choices says can cause side effects, such as redness, itching and stinging. It can leave the skin with no protection from the sun. And when the colour returns patients are warned that the new skin may differ from the original skin colour.
Homeopathic Treatment of Vitiligo
Homeopathy offers a comprehensive treatment as it goes to the root of the problem by helping build up immunity and eventually restores the pigmented patches back to the normal skin colour. This quotation comes from the Dr. Ajay's homeopathic website, which has been the main source of the following remedy descriptions. Dr Ajay describes that that can cure the condition.
"This is due to the fact that homeopathic treatment enhances the natural production of pigments. According to homeopathic philosophy Vitiligo not a disease in itself but an expression of an inner disturbed state of the body."
Dr Ajay warns, however, that Vitiligo is a chronic disorder, and so can take considerable time ... for it to be completely cured. He describes the following remedies.
Bacillinum
The patient is suffer from chronic cold, cough and occasional history of haemoptysis. He has loss in weight, loss of appetite, flat chested young boys & girls, prominent ribs & prominent clavicles. There is often a history of asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis and even T.B. in patients. Patients needing this remedy can be taciturn, sulky, snappish, fretty, irritable, morose, depressed and melancholic even to the point of insanity. The patients can be fretful, ailing, whines and complaining. Some are particularly frightened by dogs.
Hydrocotyle Asiatica
Dr Ajay describes this remedy as arguably the best for the natural treatment of vitiligo as it stimulates pigmentation, and reverses the symptoms.
Graphites
A Graphites patient may be obese with a history of suppressed itch. It is suited to patients who are excessively cautious, timid, hesitating; unable to decide about anything. They can be fidgety whilst sitting at work. They can be sad and despondent. Music can make her weep. The patient thinks of nothing but death.
Merc sol
In these patients there can be history of dysentery with mucus and blood, and jaundice with liver enlargement. Patients are worst at night with salivation. They perspire in bed and do not tolerate too hot or too cold a climate. They can have nervous affections following suppressed discharges. Children can have glandular and scrofulous conditions.
Nit Acid
Homeopathic remedy for vitiligo where white spots are found at the muco-cutaneus junction., especially at the angle of the mouth, eyes, nose, nipples, glans penis, vulva, etc. There may also be fissures at the same spots. In some Nit AC patients there can be a desire for eating chalk, pencils, etc., particularly in children.
Sepia
Mostly a female remedy, beside the usual white discolouration, these patients have irregular menses, either too early or too late, with scanty and painful menses in young girls. Leucorrhoea, prurites, dysparunia, and frigidity is often noted noted. Most of the patients complain of morning sickness, along with motion sickness, nausea, vomiting or headache whilst travelling in a car or bus. These patients often they prefer to be alone rather than in company.
Silica
This remedy is described by Dr Ajay as being very effective in treating not only vitiligo, but also Eczema. He says that a deficiency in Silica has been the cause of vitiligo for many patients.
Patients who need this remedy often have a history of suppression of skin diseases, or any other suppression, like suppressed diarrhea, dysentery, jaundice, typhoid and fevers. (Conventional medical drugs most often suppress these conditions). There is often heat in the palms, soles, eyes, anus, vulva, vagina & on the top of the head. Generally hot patient can feel chilly. They can be irritable and obstinate. Patients can have a nervous temperament and quick tempered. Their skin can be excessively sensitive to atmospheric changes. Often patients are lean, their shoulders can stoop, like an older man. They dislike standing, and will usually lean rather than stand upright. They can be prone to skin affections, and have an aversion to washing, with symptoms worse after a shower or bath.
Thuja
This remedy is useful in treating vitiligo where there is history of vaccination. Patients often dream of falling, startling in sleep. They often have warts on their face or body. There can be history of tuberculosis or respiratory diseases in the family. They often are very fleshy people, with a dark complexion, black hair, and unhealthy skin. They often have ailments from vaccinations. They often have strange or fixed ideas.
As with most medical conditions, finding the best homeopathic remedy, and enhancing chances of cure, is best done alongside a qualified homeopath. To find a homeopathy in Britain, visit this website Similar websites are available in other countries.
