Vitiligo or Phul Behri

In Indo-Pak region we have heard about Phul-Behri which is also known as  Leukoderma medically and commonly known as Vitiligo . Vitiligo is skin disease in which there is partial or complete loss of pigments or natural skin colour producing substance from areas of the skin resulting in irregular white spots or patches. Vitiligo is a pigmentation disorder in which cells producing pigments that control the colour of skin are destroyed; As a result, white patches of skin appear on different parts of the body. Vitiligo may appear at any age.

Causes of Vitiligo

Background Information

Human body is made of two types of tiny skin cell or building blocks.

a) Keratinocytes: (The skin cells by which skin is made or can called as bulking cells)
b) Melanocytes: (The skin cells that make the skin color or impart colour features to skin)

In vitiligo patients, the immune defense skin cells attack on pigment producing cells and kill them in spite of killing germ cells. When the melanocytes die, the skin of that area turns white due to lack of melanocytes, which makes skin pigment or color.

Vitiligo Threats to Medical Professionals & Other hidden Causes

• As the immune cell destroying normal melanocytes in Vitiligo, The basic reason for this is unknown that makes a real threat to the dermatologist to treat and diagnose the disease.
• Some medical expert refers Vitiligo as a genetic cause and factor
•  Dr. Richard Spritz discovered after a years of research on Vitiligo that NALP1, a gene that seems to have with Vitiligo and is closely related with autoimmune diseases.
•  Vitiligo may sometimes also occur at the site of an old injury.
• The lack or deficiency of these vitamins effect on the psychological and social effects of even lighter skinned people are the major factor of developing this disease according to some researchers.

Symptoms of Vitiligo

• First notice white patches or spots (depigmentation) on their skin.

• Vitiligo generally occurs in one of three patterns. 1^st pattern is called focal pattern in which  depigmentation is limited to one or only a few areas.
•  Other pattern is the depigmented patches on only one side of their bodies also referred as segmental pattern.
• And when depigmentation occurs on different parts of the body it is termed as generalized pattern.
• Premature graying of the scalp hair, eyelashes, eyebrows, and beard.

Treatments of Vitiligo

Primary goal of therapy

I s to restore the skin’s color it can be done by Repigmentation of melanocytes on skin that regain its normal immune/inflammatory functions.

Prescription Medicine

Prescription medicines either use topical steroid or psoralen that is a common treatment of vitiligo but The main disadvantages of prescription medicines are that these are expensive.

Topical Steroid Therapy

Topical steroid therapy is used in the form of creams and ointments in starting  stages of Vitiligo. Medical Doctors usually prescribe steroids to children although  intense steroids are prescribed to adults. These are mostly recommended for a period of three years and their effect is generally temporary.

Psoralen Photochemotherapy

Psoralen photo-chemotherapy is also called psoralen and ultraviolet A (PUVA). This therapy includes  a combination of psoralen and UVA. Psoralen is generally a natural compound that is obtain form  seeds of Psoralea corylifolia

Oral Psoralen Therapy

Psoralens can be used orally in treating Vitiligo in raw form as well as in the form of various recipes but very few people will continue to take them because of bitter taste

Homeopathy

Homeopathic treatment targets are restoration of the normal functioning and balance of pigment producing cells on the skin.

Ayurvedic

In Ayurvedic science the treatment of vitiligo is similar to use of natural substances. Therapeutic vomiting and purgatives is also recommended by some Ayurveds.

 Surgical:

surgical treatment is considered  only if:

• Your vitiligo has not changed during recent year.
• You are not responding to other treatment i.e PUVA or PUVB treatment.
• You skin is not completely affected by Vitiligo
• You do not have Hepatitis C or AIDS or other auto immune disease.

 Information about Vitiligo