VITILIGO DISEASE - 7 KEY QUESTION ANSWERED

Vitiligo Disease - One estimate says that as many as 50 million people are affected by Vitiligo disease around the world, and the vast majority develop Vitiligo disease before middle age.

Review the key facts below to gain an understanding of this distressing condition and put yourself in a position to offer practical help and support.

Just exactly what is Vitiligo disease?

Vitiligo disease is a pigmentation disorder which causes white patches of skin to develop on various parts of the body. Mucous membranes found inside the mouth, nose, and genital areas are destroyed. Often hair that grows in areas affected by Vitiligo disease turns white also.

Vitiligo disease is NOT contagious!

How is Vitiligo disease most easily recognized?

The white patches of skin often develop in certain recognizable patterns:

1. The Focal Pattern is where blotches of white skin appear in small limited areas

2. The Segmental Pattern is where patches of white skin appear on one side of the body only

3. The Generalized Pattern is where the areas of pigmentation disorder appear on many and various parts of the body

Parts of the body often affected are around the mouth, eyes and nose, as well as the underarms and also the genital areas.

Who are most likely to be affected by Vitiligo disease?

There is no delineation according to gender or even race. One common factor though is that Vitiligo sufferers often have an auto-immune disease where an individual's immune system works against their own body organs.

Heredity can also be a factor although the majority of children of parents with the condition are not affected.

What tests are necessary for a doctor to diagnose Vitiligo disease?

These may include a small biopsy and a blood sample. The doctor may also delve into a person's medical and family history to see if there are other cases of auto-immune disease.

How fast does Vitiligo disease spread to other parts of the body?

This is very much an individual matter. In some Vitiligo disease sufferers the condition remains isolated to just a few areas. In others the white patches begin to spread at varying rates. Reports indicate in the majority of cases the blotches will progressively spread.

Are there any other effects from Vitiligo disease?

Many persons with Vitiligo disease suffer varying degrees of emotional stress and depression. In the case of young persons especially the effect can be psychologically devastating due to concerns on how they will be accepted by their peers.

When visible body areas are affected an individual may withdraw and not wish to socialize due to fear of being stigmatized.

In view of this, family and friends need to offer strong emotional support, being willing to listen and empathize. There are various support groups and organizations available which do an excellent job. (See the research library in the resource box at the end of this article.)

What solutions are available for Vitiligo disease sufferers?

Concealing cosmetics can be used to mask the skin contrast.

A variety of medical and surgical procedures are available including steroids, skin grafting and tattooing which implants pigment into the skin.

As research is ongoing, it is wise to check with a medical practitioner to find out the latest options available for Vitiligo sufferers.

In conclusion, it must be recognized that Vitiligo disease can cause acute distress to those with the condition even though it is not contagious. The emotional and psychological effects however can be contained and minimized through the understanding and support of family, friends and acquaintances.

Free Vitiligo Disease Advice Research Library:

http://www.bodyfaq.com/Advice/vitiligo/vitiligo-faq.htm

Plastic Surgery Research:

http://www.bodyfaq.com/plastic-surgery-library

Laser Hair Removal Research:

http://www.about-hair-removal.com/Laser-Library

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Jones

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VITILIGO LASER TREATMENT

VITILIGO LASER TREATMENT -
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Naweko_San-Joyz]Naweko San-Joyz

Vitiligo / White scars and hypopigmentation (loss of skin coloring) can result from trauma to the skin.

Scars take on a white appearance because melanocyte production has been impaired. Melanocytes make melanin- the pigment that gives the skin its color. If melanocytes are damaged, so is the skin’s ability to produce darker skin tones.

After damage to the skin, whether or not hypopigmentation or white scarring occurs depends on how the injury took place.

Causes of hypopigmentation and white scarring

For example, if you were riding a bicycle, fell and only scrapped your knee, this would have created a superficial abrasion on the skin. A scab would develop to protect the wound. Over the course of the few days, the scab would fall off. Once the scab shed away, the skin would then produce pigment in response to sun exposure and eventually, the color of the scar would match that of the rest of the skin.

On the other hand, had the bicycle fall involved a deep gash to the knee, most of the pigment producing layers of the upper skin would be damaged while the deeper layers of the skin would need to repair the injured tissue.

To start the dermal repair process, the skin would then knit together collagen and elastin to protect blood vessels beneath the skin. If blood vessel damage occurred, increased amounts of inflammation would accompany the wound healing process. Under these circumstances, a mild form of fibrosis, or excessive scarring, may happen because of the increased in skin damage and inflammation.

With this build-up of scar tissue, melanocytes may not reach the surface of the skin where they make melanin and give color to the skin. This results in white, coarse scar tissue.

Laser resurfacing & hypopigmentation

Unlike bicycle accidents, vitiligo laser treatment re-surfacing is a form of intentional scarring. Since vitiligo laser treatment resurfacing corrects skin damage by inflicting tiny wounds in the skin, vitiligo laser treatment can cause hypopigmentation. At times, the hypo-pigmented spots may not show up until two to six months after the vitiligo laser treatment.


Vitiligo Laser Treatment

Treatments for white scarring that result from acne scars or accidents include medications for vitiligo. Vitiligo is a skin disorder of unknown cause involving loss of pigmentation in patches of otherwise normal skin.

Dermatologist Dr. R.W. Urbanek, reported to E Skin and Allergy News that a product know as V-Tar helps combat the effects of hypopigmentation. According to Dr. Urbanek, this compound causes the skin to produce melanocytes which in term create melanin and restore the skin’s normal pigmentation.

Dr. Urbanek has seen improvements with using V-Tar in as little as eight daily applications. However, side effects of V-Tar include a burning sensation when exposed to direct sunlight. This can be mitigated with using a sunscreen. You can ask you doctor for V-Tar.

Ironically, when hypopigmentation results from skin resurfacing, the vitiligo laser treatment could involve more laser resurfacing. In a study published in Dermatologic Surgery, Dr. James E. Fulton revealed his method for treating hypopigmentation that resulted from laser or chemical skin resurfacing.

Dr. Fulton gave 22 patients who had hypopigmented scars a pre-treatment with a vitamin A and glycolic acid lotion. Next, the patients received a series of laser and chemical resurfacing treatments. After the resurfacing treatments, researchers specially bandaged the treated hypopigmented scars and allowed them to heal.

At the conclusion of the study, melanocytes did return to the previously hypopigmented area and ultimately the skin spot blended with the rest of the skin’s natural tone.

Preventing hypopigmentation and white scarring

Since hypopigmentation and white scarring have historically proven themselves difficult to cure, the best treatment is really prevention. You can help prevent hypopigmentation by properly bandaging deep wounds immediately after they happen. In the case of skin resurfacing, ask your health practitioner what steps she is taking to avoid post hypopigmentation and what you can do, in addition to wearing a good sunscreen, to prevent possible hypopigmentation.

Sources:

Norra MacReady. Tar Product Tackles Hypopigmentation Quickly. E-Skin and Allergy News: March 2002, Vol 33, no 3, p 39.

Fulton J.E., A.D. Rahimi; S. Mansoor; P. Helton; P. Shitabata. The Treatment of Hypopigmentation After Skin Resurfacing. Dermatologic Surgery. January 2004, Vol 30, no 1, pp 95-101(7).

Naweko Nicole Dial San-Joyz founded Noixia, a San Diego based research firm dedicated to helping people intelligently, safely and affordably enhance their image by offering custom skin solutions to people with [http://www.noixia.com]acne scarring on the face and body. San-Joyz She has appeared on radio stations, in newspapers and on TV shows across the United States promoting beauty through health consciousness. Anyone seeking to enhance their image and remove [http://www.noixia.com]acne scars can find custom, clinically proven solutions at Noixia.com.

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