Vitiligo Guide

Risk Of Skin Cancer in Vitiligo

arshad2 — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 05:48:31 +0000

Vitiligo is a long lasting disease which causes skin lightening in the form of patches. It takes place when melanin producing cells die or are unable to operate. It occurs due to the loss of pigment and affects one in every two hundred people. The people, who are affected by vitiligo develop white patches on their skin. It affects the people of all races and ages equally.

Vitiligo is more noticeable in people with darker skin. Seventy percent of the population has the variant that increases the probability of vitiligo. There are mixed views about the relationship of vitiligo and skin cancer.

Most people believe that people with vitiligo are highly vulnerable to skin cancer due to absence of melanin but the scientists from the University of London have found that people with vitiligo are at lesser risk of skin cancer then the people without the condition. The researchers warned that vitiligo people should still be cautious as the research concludes just a reduced risk as compared to a normal skin individual.

Alternatively the New England Journal of Medicine briefs that the pale skin patches are caused by vitiligo which increases the risk of melanoma (skin cancer) due to the deficiency of pigment melanin. Melanin gives skin its color and protects against harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. Still more research studies are in progress that would reveal more about the connection between vitiligo and skin cancer.

Vitamin D and Vitiligo

leo — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 09:20:22 +0000

It is believed that there is a linkage between Vitiligo and the level of vitamin D in our body. Deficiency of vitamin D could trigger Vitiligo and can also cause the disease to worsen.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin which is produced in the skin after exposure to UVB light and occurs naturally in a small range of foods. Mainly there are two major physiologically relevant forms of vitamin D, vitamin D₂ and vitamin D₃ but the form of greatest importance to humans is vitamin D₃. The major source of vitamin D for humans is sunlight and approximately 90% of the vitamin D comes from this source. It is essential for the absorption of Calcium and phosphorus.

The potential to develop vitiligo and other autoimmune disorders is believed to increase with the deficiency of vitamin D. The symptoms and the prognosis of vitiligo can be significantly improved by maintaining the adequate levels of vitamin D.

To ensure adequate level of vitamin D one must take 5,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day for 2–3 months. Mainly there are three main ways for maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D: (i) Sunlight, (ii) Food, and (iii) Vitamin D supplement.

Approximately 20 to 30 minutes of sun exposure will produce 20,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D within 48 hours. Dietary sources of Vitamin D are egg yolk; ‘oily’ fish such as salmon & sardines, cod liver oil, Vitamin D fortified bread & cereals, or milk. Vitamin D supplements provide a good alternative source of vitamin D, although some people with certain conditions should not use vitamin D supplements at all without guidance from a physician, such as: primary parahyperthyroidism, sarcoidosis, the presence of kidney stones, unexplained hypercalcemia, renal insufficiency or kidney failure.

Hence it could be concluded that people with vitiligo should maintain adequate levels of vitamin D for improving their skin condition.

Adverse Effects of Vitiligo Treatments

leo — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:06:44 +0000

Note: Before reading this post you should understand that only adverse effects of vitiligo treatments are listed here and not the advantages so people with vitiligo should not get disheartened and lose hope coz these treatments offer several advantages as well.

People with vitiligo often take the term ‘Vitiligo Treatment’ as something that would eradicate the root causes of this skin disorder. A wide array of Vitiligo Treatments is available and the goal of almost all vitiligo treatments is to improve the appearance either by re-pigmentation or de-pigmentation.

Below is a list of vitiligo treatments along with their adverse effects (these adverse affects would vary from person to person depending on different factors such as skin type and duration of the treatment):

Adverse Effects of Phototherapy (NB UVB & PUVA):

Skin Damage
Skin Reddening (erythema)
Premature Aging
Increases the risk of skin cancer
Dry Skin
Stomach Upset
Itching

Adverse Effects of Micropigmentation (Tattooing):

Granulomas (red bumps caused by inflammation)
Keloid Scars
Tattoo color fades with passage of time
Tattoo color does not tan
Induces allergic reactions
Tattoo color mismatch (depending on the skill of person doing it)

Adverse Effects of Steroids:

Skin Shrinkage
Skin Striae (stretch marks)
Leads to relapse

Adverse Effects of Excimer Laser:

Blisters (if the dosage is too high)
Erythema (redness)
Hyperpigmentation
Erosions (sores)

Adverse Effects of Depigmentation (Bleaching):

Inflammation (redness and swelling)
Itching
Dry Skin
Not easily reversible
Skin becomes sensitive to sunlight

If I’ve missed some side effects then use the comment section to complete the list.

MicroSkin – Simulated Second Skin

leo — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:54:19 +0000

Microskin - simulated second skin is another camouflaging product that helps in disguising various skin conditions such as vitiligo. MicroSkin is a light liquidized application which is applied on to the skin.

Manufacturer of MicrSkin claims that this product is waterproof and could last for several days depending on the type of skin. It won’t rub off on clothing or linen.

Microskin is suitable for both genders and all skin types. It’s available for people of every shade.

If you are looking for an affordable solution to camouflage your vitiligo then you should look for something else. It is a quite expensive solution to camouflage your vitiligo coz on your first visit they charge you a consultation fee of $75, a yearly membership fee of $750 and still you have to pay for the product depending on the size of your patch (costs around $150 for one normal sized patch) and if you purchase the airbrush equipment then your total would be around $2500.

In my opinion spending over $2500 just for camouflaging skin is more than enough. Instead CoverFx and Dermablend are a lot cheaper than Microskin. The main difference between these products is that Microskin creates a layer of artificial skin on epidermis which is more durable and long lasting.

One thing I liked about this product is that it does not rub off on clothing or linen. This makes it different from other cosmetic camouflages. Its a matter of opinion for some people this pro

Herbalism

leo — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 05:23:49 +0000

Herbalism is one of the oldest healing techniques based on the use of plants and plant extracts. Herbalism is also known as botanical medicine, medical herbalism, herbal medicine, herbology, and phytotherapy.

Herbalism (herbal healing) provides the supreme natural healing knowledge. The present day techniques emerged from the practices of the ancient Egyptians, Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks and Romans.

Most of the people take herbal medicine because they are safe, time proving and effective. There are numerous advantages of herbal medicines some of these are listed below:

Gentle, safe, and effective.
These medicines have life force energy that assists in easy absorption inside the body and further helps in:
- Activating cells and building tissues
- Cleansing the system
- Provide direct aid to the sick affected parts of the body
These medicines are totally natural and this makes them free from all kinds of side effects.
These medicines are available for almost all kinds of ailments

People take herbal medicines as one of the safest treatment options but still there are some factors that cannot be disregarded in any case. You may have seen and noticed that there are a lot of people selling herbal medicines claiming that these are herbal and completely natural but several of them turn out to be fake products. So, it is the responsibility of the buyer to choose the right thing.

It is really very important to know everything about the herbal medicine that you want to use before trying it actually because a good research would help you understand whether it is really worth buying or not. So, you need to be careful and cautious while you go for them.