Why Light Therapy Can Treat Vitiligo

Light therapy is common treatment for vitiligo ,it based on the finding that certain wavelengths of ultraviolet light powerfully induce melanin synthesis leading to repigmentation. Sunlight contains a broad band of ultraviolet rays, which may result in the production of excessive pigment and diffuse darkening of the skin, depending on how much exposure took place.

Among other vitiligo treatments, light therapy- particularly narrow band UVB light therapy- is up to 93 percent effective in re-pigmenting the skin partially or fully. The remission rate of light therapy is around 50 percent at 6 months, which is a much better remission rate than most other vitiligo treatments.
The mechanism is two-fold: melanin is synthesized and packaged into melanosomes, a process called neo-melanogenesis, and melanocytes migrate into the light-exposed area of depigmented skin.
At the same time, ultraviolet light also brings about two effects specifically helpful in vitiligo:
It suppresses autoimmune activity by inducing T-regulatory (suppressor) cell activity, by upregulating the release of the cytokine IL-10 which stimulates the differentiation and activation of T-regulatory cells.
Systemic immune responses may also occur with narrowband ultraviolet B.
Does Lack of Light Hurt the Body?
Science is just now beginning to explore the possible benefits of all light spectrums. This not only benefits patients with vitiligo, but also the general population. For years scientists and health professional have known that a lack of sun exposure could suppress the immune system and cause problems like rickets, but the full benefits of sun exposure have only begun to be explored.
However, researchers have studied what happens when humans do not get enough sun.

No light, artificial light, and light filtered through windows all have damaging effects on the body. The main reason why windows and artificial light have a poor effect on the body is not so much from lack of light, but simply because windows filter out some of the light spectrum and artificial light only produces a small part of the light spectrum, which could increase the risks of sun exposure.

Symptoms and Treatment for vitiligo

The characteristic sign of Vitiligo is depigmentation (loss of colour) and formation of light coloured / white patches on the skin especially first seen on the areas exposed of the skin - hands, feet, mouth and face .
It may/ may not be associated with autoimmune diseases.
Usually there is premature greying of hair, eyebrows, beard, eyelashes and also loss of colour of mucous membranes in the mouth. It also affects the retina in the eye.
There are three kinds :
Segmental - in this type one side of the body is affected
Focal - very few areas are affected
Generalised - most parts are affected.
It is commonly seen in ages between 20 - 30 year old adults. However, it can occur at any age.
If such symptoms and signs are present a dermatologist should be consulted for further opinion.
Treatment involves :
Inflammation reducing creams.
Phototherapy.
Chinese Medicine
Laser Therapy
Light Therapy
Surgery
Tattoo (don't suggestion)

Vitamin D supplements.

Is There Cure Vitiligo At Home

Many patients think i have vitiligo ,but i want to cure my vitiligo at home or depend on diet .vitiligo paitents think of cure vitiligo only depend on diet to control my vitiligo.

Vitiligo is a condition in which the skin loses melanin, the pigment that determines color. The disease evolves slowly with enlarging white irregular patches on the skin. The most common areas affected by vitiligo are above the eyes and on the neck, armpits, elbows, genitalia, hands and knees.

Treatment Vitiligo At Home 

Cover-up
The goal of cover-up with dyes or make-up is to hide the white macules so that the vitiligo is less visible. Self-tanning lotions and camouflage are quite helpful for some patients.
Tattooing
Using a surgical instrument, the pigment is implanted into the skin. It works best around the lips, especially in people with darker skin. Drawbacks can include difficulty matching the color of skin and the fact that tattoos fade but do not tan. Sometimes, skin damage caused by tattooing might spark the generation of another patch of vitiligo.
*Avoid tattooing that's not related to treating your vitiligo. Damage to your skin, such as that caused by a tattoo, may cause a new patch of vitiligo to appear within two weeks.
Creams that control inflammation
A topical corticosteroid may help return color to (repigment) your skin, particularly if you start using it early in the disease. You may not see a change in your skin's color for several months.
This type of cream is effective and easy to use. But it can cause side effects, such as skin thinning or the appearance of streaks or lines on your skin.
Milder forms of the drug may be prescribed for children and for people who have large areas of discolored skin.

Best Home Remedies for vitiligo

Papaya
Papaya is a tree-like plant, which grows from 5-10 m, the flowers are like plumeria flowers and its leaves are ripe, large, and long for 10-30 cm. Papaya is not only a delicious fruit for health, but it is also helpful for vitiligo treatment. Here is the method to use papaya to treat vitiligo:

• Cut papaya fruit into different pieces.
• Rub papaya pieces on white patches.
• Dry it naturally and apply other pieces of papaya.
• You might drink papaya juice each day to relieve melanin cells caused by vitiligo.
• Do it every day to get visible effects.

Duckweed
Duckweed is a type of water plant that’s very rich in lignin. It’s an effective natural treatment for vitiligo skin disorders, and it even helps to restore your skins natural color.

• Take the duckweed and grind it down into a very fine paste.
• Add a teaspoon of honey and drink it twice a day after a meal.
• You’ll start to see the results after about a month.

Sun Screen
Apply lots of sunscreen, even if you are not going to be in direct sunlight. I recommend using at least SPF 30. This will protect your skin against both UVA and UVB as vitiligo affected skin is more vulnerable to the sun’s rays.
Red Clay
Red clay is a very effective natural home remedy for vitiligo because of its high copper content, which is what’s responsible for restoring skin pigmentation.

• Combine 1 tablespoon of ginger juice with 2 tablespoons of red clay.
• Apply the mixture to the affected areas daily.

The reason for adding ginger juice is so that it can stimulate and increase the flow of blood to the applied areas. This is very cheap, but effective method for restoring color to your affected skin.
Vitamin B9 and B12
A study conducted on a large number of vitiligo patients found that around 80% of them were deficient in vitamins B9 (folic acid) and B12
There have also been recorded evidence that supplementing with these vitamins for 3-6 months resulted in cases of complete re-pigmentation.
In light of this evidence, you should make sure that you increase your consumption of foods that are naturally rich in these vitamins. Examples of such foods include: Liver, Sunflower Seeds, Milk, Cheese, Beef, Chicken, Pork, Fish, and Whole Eggs.
Drinking water

Drinking water is necessary to save your life as well as prevent some health problems including vitiligo. If you want to get rid of this skin condition easily, effectively, and permanently, drinking water stored in a copper vessel is the simple way you can do at home, at the office, or on your journey. You should store water in copper utensil in a long time and drink it. This method will increase melanin and reduce whiteness on your body. The remedy will not bring the instant result but be patient by drinking water every day, you will have desirable effect from it.
Those many vitiligo patients used to treat themself vitiligo ,not only good treatment for vitiligo but also best time and delayed the treatment increased the illness.
Learn about Chinese Medicine Treatment for vitiligo

308 nm laser therapy For Vitiligo

Vitiligo, a relatively common skin condition, is sometimes linked to hearing loss, autoimmune diseases, or other disorders.

Xtrac Excimer 308-nm laser is a laser light source that delivers a specific wavelength (308 nm) of ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. This new technology is a further development of narrowband UVB that delivers energy at a wavelength between 311-312 nm and has proven to be beneficial in the treatment of vitiligo and psoriasis. In this article, I will introduce you the mechanism of excimer 308-nm laser therapy in treating vitiligo.

The first section various therapeutic effect's mechanism and matters need attention

Excimer 308nm laser treatment system can be said to be the peak of the laser therapy in treating skin disease. It integrate the 308nmXeCI excimer laser light resource, 154Hz quasi-continuous nano modulation, The latest liquid light transmission (LLG) and many of the world's top technology and so on. The treatment system uses is XeCI excimer gases. Clinical study have shown that the single wavelength of 308 nm was detected in the induce the T lymphocyte apoptosis for vitiligo and lesions of posoriasis is the best wave length, 308nm also is the strongest wavelength, the deepest can penetrate the leather shallow 1.5 mm. the medical use this principle, the laser direct radiate to the lesion part of skin this will make some relevant biological and chemical changes, it will facilitate the synthesis of melanin. So it reaches the treatment goal by use this 308nm. The 308nm exciser laser treatment system imported from the American original device. It referred as 308. A single frequency excimer laser, the wavelength of 308 nm, 30 ns pulse width (ns), single pulse energy density for 2-3 mj (millijoule)/cm squared, using liquid laser, optical fiber transmission can form 2 x 2 cm squared square spot, namely single treatment area for 2 x 2 cm squared.

Learn about vitiligo treatment

How to Cure White Spots on Skin

Treatment of white spots on the skin depends on the underlying cause, which can be vitiligo, pityriasis alba, tinea versicolor, idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis, or some other skin condition.

White spots on the skin(Vitiligo) can be caused by both environmental, as well as genetic factors. Several skin diseases and pigmentation disorders can cause the development of white spots on the skin, which is medically termed as leukoderma. These spots are usually caused by the loss of pigmentation, and they can appear on any part of the body. The pigment melanin, which gives color to the skin is produced by a type of specialized cells, known as melanocytes. White spots appear when melanocytes cannot effectively produce melanin, while hyperpigmentation occurs, when the production of melanin increases.
The color of the human skin is due to the presence of melanin. The melanin is a pigment and its production cells is handled by the pigment cells known as melanocytes. When these cells are unable to produce melanin or are destroyed, it leads to formation of white spots (depigmentation) on the affected part of the skin.
Causes of White Spots
Several factors and skin conditions can cause the appearance of white spots on the skin. Vitiligo, pityriasis alba, tinea versicolor, and idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis are some conditions that can cause the development of white spots. In Vitiligo, the melanin producing cells of the skin die or fail to function properly. The result is a loss of pigmentation and the development of white skin patches. Pityriasis alba is the skin condition, which can cause the development of round or oval white spots. This skin condition is common in children and teenagers with dark skin.
Treatment options are discussed below:
PUVA 
PUVA is a re-pigmentation treatment and involves getting rid of those white spots. PUVA stands for psoralen ultraviolet A radiation. In this condition, the person is first asked to take a medicine known as psoralen. A thin coat of psoralen is applied on the affected part of the skin. The thin coating of psoralen is allowed to remain there for a period of 30 minutes. It is then exposed to ultraviolet A light. Psoralen, basically increases the sensitivity of the skin towards ultraviolet light. Thus, affected skin with vitiligo, responds quite well when it is bombarded with ultraviolet A waves. As the skin is very much sensitive to UVA light, the light waves penetrate deep into the skin to correct the problem. Bombarding the skin with UVA light turns the affected part of the skin turns pink and eventually normal skin color is achieved. 2-3 sessions are generally required to restore natural appearance of the skin. PUVA is useful only when not more than 20 percent of the skin is affected with vitiligo.
Herbs Medicine 
Use of herbs can contribute immensely to minimize the appearance of white spots(vitiligo). Rubbing St John wort alcohol tincture can be helpful in this regard. One can also rub fresh juice of another herb known as lemna (wild duck) on the white patches 4 -5 times daily to decrease their appearance.
UM-D Cure Vitiligo
UM-D treatment is a suit of treatment newly researched by Beijing CASU TCM Vitiligo Hospital to specific to treat stubborn vitiligo, is a diagnosis and treatment system, it perfectly combined traditional Chinese medicine with western medicine along with some large scale medical equipment, it also use Chinese medicated bath, gas bath, water therapy, electroacupuncture, silicon light, carbon light, eximer laser, NB-UVB, patent Chinese medicines, western medicines and other treatments, it absorbed the essence of both traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine.

UM-D treatment not only pay attention to the color restore of vitiligo, it take the advance measures to help doctor to to diagnose their immunity to see if their immune system disorder, lack of trace elements, the melanocyte condition, all kinds of antigens' condition, their skin, blood, internal organs. our treatment treat vitiligo both emphasize the inside and outside without side effects, this treatment praised by the patients from home and abroad.
Learn about Epidermal Grafting to Cure Vitiligo

Remedies Treatment for Vitiligo

The main emphasis of vitiligo treatment is to improve the appearance of the skin. Treatment for the condition usually continues for long periods of time. The type of treatment depends upon the size and number of white patches, location and extent. The response to treatment varies from case to case. Most vitiligo treatments involve topical application of medication. In topical steroid therapy, steroid creams are used to re-pigment the white patches. This kind of therapy is especially effective when done in the initial stages. You need to apply the cream to the affected areas for a minimum period of three months. Topical steroid therapy is known to be a safe and easy treatment. However there may be some side effects of these creams such as shrinkage or streaks on the skin.

Another type of treatment for vitiligo is PUVA or psoralen and ultraviolet A therapy. The chemicals contained in psoralen react with UV light and result in skin darkening. The drug may be used orally or topically. This is a time consuming treatment and may produce severe side effects. Following treatment, the areas have to be exposed to sunlight or a UV light lamp in carefully timed sessions. In case of a fewer white patches, topical psoralen photochemotherapy is used. This treatment can also be used for children aged 2 years and above. The main side effects of this therapy are blistering and sunburn. In individuals with extensive white patches or those who do not respond to other treatments, psoralen is administered orally. Side effects of this therapy may include nausea, vomiting, itching and sunburn.
In some cases, de-pigmentation is done to treat vitiligo. This involves lightening the rest of the skin so that it matches with the white patches. This is usually recommended for those who have more than half their bodies covered with white patches. It involves application of certain drugs on the skin. Direct skin to skin contact with others must be avoided for at least two hours after application as the drug may get transferred. Redness and swelling may occur due such treatment. Some people also experience dryness and itching. There is also likely to be an increased sensitivity to sunlight.

Natural remedies for vitiligo involve the use of turmeric and mustard oil. Combine about 5 teaspoons of powdered turmeric with 250 ml of mustard oil and apply the mixture to the faded areas twice daily. Basil leaves are believed to encourage the production of melanin in the skin and can be mixed with lime juice for treating vitiligo patches. Mix a few drops each of basil leaf extract and lime juice and apply this to the affected areas. This treatment is known to bring about improvement in 5 to 6 months. Another home remedy for vitiligo involves drinking water kept in a copper utensil. This is known to have a stimulating effect on the melanocytes and thus helps in increasing melanin production. The water must be kept in the copper utensil for a night. This is not an instant cure and the practice needs to be kept up for some time to yield any results. The herb Psoralen, which is also used in medical treatments of vitiligo, can even be used in home remedies. The seeds of Psoralea and tamarind may be soaked in water for about 4 days and then dried and ground into a paste. Apply the paste to the white matches for a month. It is advisable to use this remedy with guidance from an expert. Psoralea seeds may also be soaked in ginger juice for 2 to 3 days and then ground into a powder. Add one gram of the powder to a cup of milk and consume. You can keep this up for a period of two months to bring back the pigmentation in the white patches. Psoralea can also be combined with coconut oil, barberry roots and black cumin. Coconut oil is beneficial in the treatment of various skin conditions while black cumin boosts immunity. Barberry roots contain substances that help protect the skin. The ingredients may be combined to form a paste and this should be applied to the white patches daily for 6 months.