In medical terminology white spots appearing on the skin is a kind of skin disorder in which the pigments have become malfunctioning to maintain the color of the skin is called either vitiligo or Leukoderma. Vitiligo is not a contagious disease. It is also relatively known as common skin disorders having effected approximately between 1 and 2 percent of the world population. This can be affected at any age but the research confirms that it can appear before the age of 20. Generally they are known as inherited disease. It is also associated with autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism and Addison’s disease. It can also appear on the scalp affecting the color of hair turning grey or leaving white patches or streaks. In some cases, wounds that heal from the skin injury may leave de-pigmentation causing Vitiligo to that injured area.
Vitiligo is known in Ayurveda as Shwitra or Kilaas. Some of Ayurvedic physicians recommended blood letting either by leeach applications or using a syringe or surgical knife to remove the affected areas as part of therapy. Herbal treatments is also very good at applying either on the suspected areas or affected areas resulting a good positive healing process.
Treatment against external applications
They are very common to those people suffering from the deficiency of adrenocortical or in the form of autoimmune disorder. This insufficient production of hormone namely corticosteroid level has effected to the standard requirements of color maintenance changed the skin into white patches. In such cases most of the Doctors advise to apply corticosteriod cream to the effected areas.
Treatment against exposure of ultra violet rays
This kind of disease is known centuries back and there is treatment like a long duration to expose in sun or ultra violet rays stimulating melanocytes cell may turn the effected skin into tan or brown color but the curable surety could not be countable as the skin may turn again to white patches. A limited amount of sun exposure is beneficial to the skin. Acne often improves with the ultra violet rays. Acne is known as one of the skin disorders usually affects the face, neck, shoulder, chest and back. It begins under the layer of skins in glands next to the hair follicles. Some Doctors may advise to use their medicines (creams or oils, in the early days some medicinal plants like Bavchi powder mixed with water) applications before the sun exposures. Research although proves that cells belonging to the pigmentation may become activated and the functioning of melanin becomes normal. In United States application of Psoralen phtotchemotherapy (Psoralen and ultraviolet) is one of the most effective treatment.
Treatment against skin grafting
One of the research advances toward transplantation or skin grafting of melanocytes (skin layer) from one part of the body to the effected area found to be completely curable to those suffering from Vitiligo or Leucoderma In case of small area affected Vitiligo patient may go for surgical treatment by punching biopsy specimen from a pigmented donor to a de-pigment
ed Vitiligo patient.
Initial stage of recovery advice
In the early stages of such effected patients, it is more advisable to consult with the Dermatologist immediately before spreading out of control instead of applying cosmetics for their cover ups to camouflage the area could bring more complications. Topical steroid cream applications could also be benefited to the early symptoms. Protopic and Elidel are also effective on re-pigmentation process when used in combination with UVB Narrowband treatments. To avoid such embarrassing, frustrated and psychological imbalance one need to start their treatment effectively.
In some cases, there is skin abnormalities causing the skin color defected to lighter or darker shades and they are importantly similar symptoms which require immediate attention and consultation with the concern Dermatologist before using any kind of treatment. Widespread Vitiligo is also advisable to diagnose with PUVA treatment.
Dermatologist may prescribe topical treatments for Vitiligo, acne and eczemas as well as oral applications (pills or tablets) if so require incase of severe or chronic condition.
To diagnose Vitiligo is a long term treatment and it may take between 3 and 4 months. However, the duration of vitiligo treatment can not be counted against the size of effected areas on the skin. Some widespread Vitiligo may respond very fast or a few white patches may prolong to quite some longer period in their healing process. Therefore, the results of treatment are largely dependent on how severe the case is. It is also important to distinguish between the Vitiligo and skin burns before the diagnose as well as to get the laboratory test to confirm the exact cause.
Symptoms of Vitiligo
White spots or irregular patches on the skin or any part of the body
Turning color of hair into grey,
Turning color of eyelashes and eyebrows into grey
Loss of retina color (inner layer of eyes)
Appearance of color changes inside mouth, nose, genital and rectal areas
Mainly, there are also segmentation in 3 patterns :
Segmental Vitiligo pattern can only be seen on the one side of the body
Focal Vitiligo pattern can only be seen as restricted appearance to one or couple of areas
Generalized Vitiligo pattern can only be seen on various parts of the body
Some of the causes that lead toward developing white spots on the skin are found due to the following reasons:
Chronic Amoebic Dysentery
Auto Immunity such as Addison’s disease, pernicious anemia and
Polluted Drinking water
Typhoid fever (side effects by the antibiotics)
Jaundice which causes malfunctioning of Liver
External applications of modern drugs (exorbitantly) either for cosmetics purpose or any
Repeated Vaccinations (mostly to the Army/Military personnel)
Tubercular infections
Diabetes patient
Dietery Deficiency
Shocks, Anxiety, Depressions, Tensions and Psychological disorders
Grievances, Sadness and over stressed on financial constraints
Excessive mental stress and worries
Hereditary
Pregnant women
Removal of warts (small nodules usually on the hand or fingers) or moles
More over the causes to this known disease or to avoid any effected personnel so as to control their “Diets”, some of the salient features to avoid such food intakes are:
Fancy junk foods
Flesh of un-healthy animals
The flesh of pigs such as ham, bacon or pork
Milk with oily food
Curds with sour dishes
Raddish
White bread
Milk and curds with flesh or fish
Fruits, milk and meat together
Pan and tobacco
Salt free diet
Food that plays important part in the curing of disease are:
Green and Red Raddish, figs, parsely caraway, anisi,
Beetroots, Carrots, Plumes, Spinach, Black currents, Black dates
Bran Wheat Chapati
Citrus fruits
Boiled water
Filtered water
Bitter gourd
Vegetables
Psoralea seeds
Turmeric and mustard oil
What is Melanin, its function and disorders ?
Melanin is yellow, brown or dark pigment that is found in the skin, hair and the choroids of the eye. Their function is to protect from the sun or ultra violet rays and maintain the skin color. Melanin has the capacity to increase and decrease as they can found more in the darker skin and lesser in the lighter skin. As it is very common to those like to burn their skin to make them into a Tan color is caused by the increasing of melanin pigments. Therefore, changing of skin color is effected by the exposure of sun or ultra violet rays. Melanin pigmentation is influenced by genetically, hormonal, physical and chemical agents.
Melanin is therefore very important in terms of maintaining and balancing the skin color either for a darker skin person or to a Lighter skin color person. When the functioning of Melanin becomes disorder, the skin color will start loosening and develops white patches on the body or facial areas. Therefore malfunctioning or dysfunction of melanin will lead towards Vitiligo or Leukoderma. There is no specific reasons for the cause of Vitiligo or Leucoderma has been found yet.
The malfunctioning of melanin could lead towards some of the concern diseases are Chloasma, Choroid, Melanoma and Melasma.
Chloasma is a yellowish or brown discoloration of facial skin. It may occur to a pregnant women and is called “mask of pregnancy”. Chloasma may also appear in the Addison’s disease or to some women taking contraception pills.
Choroid is concern with the eyeball and changing of their color.
Melanoma is malignant and the formation of pigment cells in the skin will lead towards a tumor which is rarely found in the children. It can cause through continuous ex.