TREATMENT OF VITILIGO

by Dr. Rajesh Shah

What is Vitiligo?
Vitiligo is more commonly known as leucoderma, which simply means white (leuco) skin (derma), i.e. a skin disorder where it looses its normal coloration. It is also medically known as achromia, which means loss of color. Basically, Vitiligo can hardly be called as a disease but a skin- disorder that has more social than medical significance, especially amongst the dark skin people. Due to retarded melanin formation, there is loss of pigmentation. The vitiligo sufferers are observed all over the world, including the white skin communities. However, epidemiologically most cases are recorded in India (8.8%) and Mexico. Males and females are affected equally, inclusive of children age group. It may begin at any age. Childhood vitiligo is not uncommon.

Causes:
The exact cause remains unknown. However, there are theories suggesting autoimmune link, hormonal connection, etc. Often observed in the family members. The precipitating factors have been identified as due to pressure of tight clothes or certain occupational hazards such as wearing certain rubber hand gloves.

Features:
Varying from a single white spot to multiples spots. In some cases generalized de-pigmentation observed all over the body. Some cases showing affection of the mucocutaneous junctions such as finger-tips, corners of the mouth, around eyes.

Treatment :
Vitiligo has always puzzled physicians of all walk. However, homoeopathy system offers reasonably positive treatment if not cure in all the cases.

Homoeopathy approach:
As a rule, homoeopathy never looks at Vitiligo as a local disease. Vitiligo has been considered as a local expression of a system disturbance. As per the classical homoeopathy, we believe in constitutional prescribing. This calls for individual case study in every case of vitiligo. There is no single specific remedy for all the cases of vitiligo. The exact treatment is determined only on in-depth evaluation of individual case.

Is Vitiligo curable with homoeopathy ?
Based on a study at our center, it can be said that the answer broadly depends of the following criteria :
• Duration of vitiligo
• Extent of spread

Duration of vitiligo:
Those cases of recent origin respond much better than ones which are more than 10 years old duration. Children and young people have shown better results in our experience.

Extent of spread:
Single or some spots ( 2 to 9) respond better than those which are very large ( more than 5 inches in size). Those individuals having a only a single spot have excellent cure rate. The cases with generalized spread and affection of finger- tips, toes, corners of the mouth and eyes have shown no results in our experience.

Duration of treatment:
Vitiligo being a chronic and long-standing disorder, it takes time to show results. Larger and older spots take longer time. Exact time can not be predicted. However, improvement begins within 4 to 8 weeks in most cases. The length of treatment should be considered as over 6 months to one year or more.