How to Cure Vitiligo Fast
Vitiligo is a disease that causes the skin to lose pigmentation. The Mayo Clinic reports that vitiligo causes "slowly enlarging white patches of irregular shapes to appear on [the] skin." Melanin is the dark pigment responsible for skin, hair and eye color. Vitiligo occurs when the cells that create melanin die or stop producing the pigment. Researchers have several theories about what causes vitiligo, but there is currently no cure. The treatments available aim to stop or slow down the spread of the disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, treatment for vitiligo can take from six to 18 months.
Instructions
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Vitiligo Treatments
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Use makeup. This is the fastest way to deal with vitiligo. Camouflage makeup to even out skin tone is the easiest way to hide the condition or make it less noticeable. There are special lines of makeup used solely to cover up prominent scars or other skin problems. Look online and at theatrical makeup stores for products that match your skin tone.
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Apply topical ointments. A doctor can prescribe a few ointments that have proven useful in some patients. Corticosteroids, if taken as soon as the first white patches appear, may be able to repigment (return color) to the area. Your doctor must monitor you while on corticosteroids for side effects, one of which is thinning of the skin. Other ointments that contain the chemicals tacrolimus or pimecrolimus have been used with success on people with small areas of vitiligo on the face and neck. But only a few studies have been done on these chemicals. According to the Mayo Clinic, these chemicals may increase the chances of lymphoma or skin cancer.
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Use phototherapy. One medical procedure is called PUVA. It uses psoralen, a topical cream, combined with UVA light. This procedure is done once or twice a week in your doctor's office. It is best for people with less than 20 percent of skin depigmentation. Topical psoralen is applied to the skin 30 minutes before UVA light exposure. The combination of psoralen and ultraviolet light turns the skin pink. Gradually, the skin returns to its normal color. The Mayo Clinic reports that side effects include "severe sunburn and blistering," which can be minimized by avoiding direct sunlight after the treatments. A simpler alternative to PUVA is exposure to UVB light, a narrow-band wavelength of ultraviolet light. The method does not use psoralen or any other topical ointment. This treatment is gaining in popularity, but more research needs to done on its long-term effects.
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Take oral psoralen. For those with vitiligo covering more than 20 percent of the body, a doctor may prescribe oral psoralen. The drug can be taken before exposure to the UVA light. With the oral psoralen, you have a few more options. You can get UVA exposure in your doctor's office or use direct sunlight. Your physician will tell you how long to sit in the sun. With the oral psoralen, there is no need for a topical psoralen.
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Take ginkgo. According to the Mayo Clinic, in people for whom the skin condition is spreading slowly, taking "40 milligrams of ginkgo three times a day may stop the spread of vitiligo." In a small study, a few people even had repigmentation. But check with your doctor to be certain there won't be reactions with ginkgo and other drugs or treatments you are using.
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