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Vitiligo Treatment Options & Information
Have you noticed sharply defined white patches of skin appearing
on your face or lips? Hands or arms? Other parts of your body?
You may be suffering from vitiligo, a skin condition that affects
1 to 2 percent of the population. Phototherapy treatments at
home or at your dermatologist’s office may help! Phototherapy has
proven to be one of the most effective treatments for vitiligo that
is free of negative side effects with proper use. And, it’s even available right in
the privacy of your own home.
What Is Vitiligo, And Why Do I Have It?
The specific cause of vitiligo is unknown. The good news is --
the unsightly patches forming on your body are not harmful
medically, nor do they produce pain or discomfort. The bad news is –
these patches do not go away if left untreated, and can be a source
of great emotional distress and loss of self esteem.
Like psoriasis and eczema, scientists think vitiligo may be caused by your own immune
system. Pigment cells in your skin produce melanin, the substance
responsible for your own unique and individual skin tone. When these
cells are attacked and destroyed by the body’s own defense system
they stop making melanin, resulting in the skin becoming lighter, or
even completely white!
About half of all people who have vitiligo develop it before age
20. It can affect most areas of the body, with some people
experiencing premature graying of the scalp hair, eyelashes, and
eyebrows.
What Vitiligo Treatment Options Are Available?
Current vitiligo treatments and therapies include the use of topical
steroids or creams to stimulate pigmentation, Depigmentation
(chemically fading the rest of the skin to match), or phototherapy (Ultraviolet light therapy).
How Does Phototherapy Treat Vitiligo?
Phototherapy is one of the most common and successful vitiligo treatments, resulting in repigmentation of your skin by
stimulating neighboring cells into producing more skin color. These
neighboring cells may be located on the edge of the vitiligo patch,
at the base of hair follicles, or possibly within the patch itself.
When prescribing phototherapy treatment, doctors may select
either UVA (Ultraviolet A) light used in combination with the drug
psoralen, or UVB (Ultraviolet B) light.
Generally, patients who respond to Narrowband UVB phototherapy
can obtain over 90% repigmentation within a year – without the
adverse side effects that often accompany psoralen use!
The patented UVBioTek™ Home Phototherapy System provides you with a
safe and effective vitiligo treatment right in the privacy of your
own home.
Discuss the advantages of phototherapy treatment with your doctor
today to decide if it is right for you.
Additional Information
Treating Vitiligo with Narrow Band UVB Light
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