Alternative medicine is fast picking up with its beneficial treatment for several skin disorders. Vitiligo or patchy skin is a common skin problem that can be effectively treated by the ancient Unani system of medicine.

What is vitiligo?
Also referred to as leucoderma, it is a patchy loss of skin colour that occurs due to acquired depigmentation of the skin. The absence of skin cells called melanocytes leads to nonproduction of the melanin pigment and as a result, manifests itself as patchy skin in several parts of the body. It can affect any area of the body including the face, neck, back, hands, and legs.

Unfortunately, conventional medicine has not been able to discover a full-proof treatment for this skin disorder, except for surgical intervention. Thanks to the yesteryear s Unani medicine system, which has its foundations in the ancient Greek, Roman, Persian, and Indian medicine, certain herbal formulations help to treat conditions of vitiligo or leucoderma. The Unani system of medicine aims to create the right balance in the body by stabilizing the four humours   blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile, which constitute insulin, hormones and other fluid releases.

Herbal powder and capsules are prescribed for the patient s consumption depending on the severity of the disorder.
Herbal ointment for external application   The affected individual must apply the topical ointment or balm before 10:00 am and then expose it to sunlight for around 10 to 15 minutes. After that, it should be shown back in shade and kept for one hour before washing it off.
Diet for vitiligo
Certain food items like banana, beef, sea food, poultry, citrus foods, pickles and dairy products are to be restricted during treatment. Foods with excessive tamarind and cashew nuts are also to be avoided. Recommended food includes all vegetables, fruits, eggs, and organic chicken.

How effective is Unani in treating vitiligo?
For years together, Unani compound formulations for systemic as well as topical usage are catering to the needs of patients. It helps to treat and induce re-pigmentation. There are several treatment modalities available to control the spreading of the disease and minimize the chances of a relapse of the skin condition.

There have been no reported side effects of Unani medicines and they are well tolerated even after prolonged use. It usually takes about 2 to 3 months to see a visible improvement of the condition. The disease tends to become stable after regaining pigmentation.

The Central Research Institute of Unani Medicine located in Hyderabad, India has taken several measures to eradicate Vitiligo. While conventional medicine does try to offer remedies to treat vitiligo, Unani medicine offers a cost-effective approach that is more promising.

Best Unani Medicine for Vitiligo Treatment

Vitiligo or Leucoderma is an autoimmune disease. In this type of disease, cells (melanin) that are responsible for skin pigmentation are destroyed, attacked, hence stop functioning, which results in irregular white patches on skin. Vitiligo can affect any part of the body and skin type. Vitiligo is not at all life-threatening, but it can be visible by other people easily.

There are a number of treatment options available for Vitiligo. However, by changing dietary and lifestyle choices, one can prevent the worsening and recurrence of the condition.

Home Remedies That Will Help to Treat Vitiligo Effectively:

There are many treatment options available to treat Vitiligo including creams, oral medicines, skin grafting, ultraviolet treatment, etc. However, these treatments totally depend upon the condition and response of the skin cells. These treatments might have some sort of side effects or risks. This is why one of the most effective ways to treat Vitiligo or Leucoderma is by using home remedies. Here are some of the common and effective home remedies used to treat this skin disease without any side effects:

Paste of Mustard Oil and Turmeric:

Turmeric has a lot of medicinal benefits and is also used effectively for the treatment of Vitiligo. One can lower the effects of Vitiligo by using turmeric. Take one tablespoon of turmeric powder with 2 tablespoons of mustard oil and mix them well to make a thick paste. Apply this paste on the affected area, leave for at least 15 minutes, and then wash it off. For better results, apply this paste twice a day.

Honey and Margosa Leaves:

Another amazing home remedy that can do wonders in this skin disorder treatment is the use of honey and margosa leaves. Take one tablespoon of honey juice and mix it well with a few crushed margosa leaves. Have this concoction to get rid of Vitiligo.

Bakuchi Paste:

To prepare Bakuchi paste, one needs Bakuchi (Psoralea carylifolia) and vinegar. Mix them well to make a thick paste and apply it over the white blotches and patches. This is also one of the most popular remedies to treat Vitiligo.

Ginger Juice:

Since ancient times, ginger is used as a medicine for the treatment of many diseases. One such disease is Vitiligo. Ginger is very much effective for the treatment of white patches. To make this home remedy, take a piece of ginger and blend it with water to make a thin liquid. Pour this juice in a cup with the help of a strainer. Drink this juice twice a day to heal Vitiligo.

Ghee and Pepper:

This is another most effective home remedy used to treat Vitiligo. For this remedy, heat 10 pepper in 10 gm of ghee. Remove the pepper and mix this ghee with normal ghee. One can use this ghee while cooking daily food. Regular consumption of this ghee will purify the blood and improve immunity.  

Final Words:

There are other home remedies available to treat this skin disorder like neem paste, tamarind seed paste, pomegranate powder, goosefoot vegetable juice, black gram paste, etc. However, it is always advisable to consult a doctor before opting for any of these remedies. The condition may vary from patient to patient; this is why consulting a physician is always a great idea.

5 Best Home Remedies To Treat Vitiligo Diseases

Vitiligo or White patches is medically referred as Leucoderma. It is a disease that causes loss of skin colour resulting in white patches. It can affect the skin on any part of the human body. It occurs when the melanin-forming cells called melanocytes which produce melanin die or stop functioning. The condition is not life threatening or contagious, but it is stressful and makes one feel bad about oneself.

The main sign of vitiligo is loss of skin pigment which produces light or white patches on skin. The discoloration is first visible on sun exposed areas like the hands, feet, arms, face and lips. It can also be coupled with premature greying of hair below the age of mid-thirties, colour loss of retina and inner lining of the mouth.

Vitiligo has no cure, but homeopathic treatment help to stop or slow the process of colour loss and brings back some colour to skin. The failure of melanocytes can be attributed to disorder in which immune system attacks and destroys them. It can also be triggered by sunburn, stress or exposure to industrial chemicals. People with vitiligo are at risk of Social or psychological distress, loss of hearing, sunburn and skin cancer, inflammation of the iris and dry skin.

Homoeopathic treatment enhances the natural production of pigments and Vitiligo is considered as a manifestation of an inner disturbed state of the body. The patient is analysed on mental, physical and familial attributes. The medication is then based the results. Arsenic Sulph Falvus, Arsenic Album, Baryta Mur and Baryta Carb are known to give good results in Vitiligo. Vitiligo is a chronic disorder and it takes a long time even with the best of the homoeopathic treatment.

Calcarea Carb is prescribed to patients of Vitiligo with milky white spots on skin. It is prescribed to free perspiration over the head, neck and chest and persons with intolerance to cold weather.
Arsenic Album is useful remedy for vitiligo in persons prone to dry, rough skin. The skin complaint coupled with asthma is a strong contender for using homeopathic medicine Arsenic Album.
Sepia is prescribed for vitiligo in persons showing unresponsive attitude towards family and life
Silicea is prescribed for vitiligo in patients with pale and waxy skin, tendency to excessive perspiration. If the main mind symptom are timidity and an under-confident nature, then Silicea is a good choice. It is known to work on patients who seem under-confident, fear public speaking.
Sulphur is considered the best for vitiligo treatment as it goes deep inside the basic root cause to exterminate the disease. The persons requiring homeopathic medicine Sulphur show a mind constantly occupied with various theories and plans due to which they suffer from mental fatigue and absent mindedness.

Homeopathic Medicine for Vitiligo or White Patches Treatment

Vitiligo is a skin disorder which results in the loss of skin pigments in different parts of the body due to the destruction of the colour producing cells called the melanocytes. Vitiligo can affect any part of the skin present in different parts of the body. Vitiligo is a disorder in which the immune system of the body gets overactive and destroys these colour producing cells on it's own, therefore resulting in white patches which are generally much fairer than the original skin colour of the human skin. In this article we are going to talk about some more facts and details about Vitiligo.

Facts about Vitiligo

Here are some important facts about vitiligo which should be kept in mind:

Vitiligo can affect an individual of any skin colour, gender, age and ethnicity. There is no particular set of people, only who gets affected by it.
Vitiligo cannot be cured completely even though a few treatments are there. Usually it is a lifelong disorder and once affected stays with the person forever.
Thankfully, in spite of being a harmful disorder, vitiligo is not at all contagious. Vitiligo cannot be spread to others when they come in contact with a person suffering from vitiligo.
After reading these few points we hope you now know about vitiligo in a much better way.

Symptoms of Vitiligo

One of the common symptoms of Vitiligo is that the skin will have white patches in the affected areas. The white patches can occur on any part of the body ie hands, legs, lips, mouth and armsarmpit, groin, eyes, nostrils, navel and genitals.

In focal pattern this white patches will be seen only in some few areas and in segmental pattern this white patches will be seen in one side of the body and in bilateral pattern this white patches will be seen different parts of the body. Sometimes vitiligo may be associated with white hair (Leukotrichia)

Sometimes you may have difficulties in understanding whether a particular skin colour disorder is Vitiligo or not. Thus here are the symptoms to look out for:

Vitiligo results in loss of skin colour in different parts of the body in patches.
Early whitening or graying of hair present on your scalp, eyes or even the beard can indicate the onset of vitiligo.
Vitiligo even affects the mucous membrane inside your mouth and nise and therefore you will understand when the inside of the mouth starts losing colour as well.
Vitiligo usually spreads in different skin parts of the body. But it sometimes can also affect only one side of the body and is known as segmental vitiligo.
So here are the important symptoms that can be observed to understand whether a person has vitiligo or not.

Vitiligo - Signs You Need To Be Aware Of!

Vitiligo is a skin condition that causes loss of pigmentation of the skin. Melanocytes, the pigment cells, within the skin are destroyed. This causes these parts of the skin to lose color and turn pale. It might affect different parts of the body including the arms, legs, face and even genitalia. It can affect a person of any age, ethnicity or gender.

Causes
The exact cause of vitiligo is not definitively known. However, there are a number of risk factors that might contribute towards the condition. These include-

Autoimmune disorders- Vitiligo might be a result of an autoimmune disorder where the overactive immune system destroys the pigment cells of the skin.
Exposure to Chemicals- Exposure to certain chemicals can increase the risk of vitiligo by causing depigmentation.
Hereditary factors- There might be a genetic pre-disposition towards vitiligo. Though a person can exhibit symptoms of the condition at any age, it is most commonly found to manifest itself around the age of 20 years.
Symptoms
Vitiligo may start with a simple spot of pale skin but over time, this spot expands and turns paler until it is white in color. Irregular in shape, the edges of these spots may inflame and cause itchiness.

Treatment
The treatment of vitiligo will be determined by a number of factors such as the number and the extent of the white patches and where they are located. Vitiligo treatment includes cosmetic, medical and surgical methods.

Cosmetic Treatment- Cosmetic and skincare products such as sunscreens, dye or makeup can help relieve and hide signs of the condition.
Medical Treatment- Oral medication or medicated ointments may be prescribed to treat Vitiligo. Photochemotherapy which involves the use of PUVA rays to induce re-pigmentation may also be prescribed. If the condition has spread to a considerable extent then the physician might advise that the color from the remaining areas of the skin also be removed in order to match the affected areas.
Surgical Treatment- Surgical treatments are at times prescribed which involve skin grafting or tattooing. This is usually prescribed for those with small patches of affected areas.
With ongoing and extensive research being conducted on this skin condition, we will in the near future be able to both understand and treat it better.

Vitiligo - What Causes It and How Can It Be Treated?

Vitiligo is a skin disorder where white patches of depigmentation develop on the skin and keep enlarging. This disorder is long term and continuous in nature. The patches appear due to the death of melanocytes within the skin. Melanocytes are skin pigment producing cells, which produce melanin. Vitiligo can affect the skin of several areas, including the eyes, hair and the portion inside the mouth.

Causes
The causes of this disease are as follows:
1. Autoimmune disorders in which the immune system of a patient becomes over reactive and the melanocytes are destroyed.
2. This disease may also occur due to genetic oxidative stress imbalance.
3. Stressful events may also lead to vitiligo.
4. Harm or damage to the skin from sunburns or cuts also leads to vitiligo.
5. Exposure of the skin to several harmful chemicals may be a cause.
6. Neural disorders are also responsible for vitiligo.
7. Vitiligo may also happen from viral causes or may be hereditary and passed on from family members.

Symptoms
Vitiligo has only one major symptom. White, flat spots and patches develop on the surface of the skin. The earliest of these white patches appear on the parts of the body which are exposed to the sun continuously.
It starts off as a simple spot in the beginning and gradually, the spot starts getting pale and finally turns white. The patches have irregular shapes, and in some cases the edges get inflamed and are red in color. Itchiness is experienced in the affected areas. Symmetrical patches signify slow development of vitiligo.

The two major types of vitiligo are:
1. Non segmental vitiligo, which affects the back of the hand, the arms, knees, elbows, feet, mouth.
2. Segmental vitiligo, which is more stable than non segmental vitiligo, but spreads faster. It usually affects areas of the skin, which are attached to nerves.

Treatment
The different methods of treatment for vitiligo are:
1. Phototherapy with UVB and UVA light: Exposing the affected area of the skin to UVB lamps is a popular cure for vitiligo. This treatment can be performed easily at home. UVA treatment incorporates taking of a drug which makes the skin more sensitive to ultraviolet light and then the skin is exposed to high doses of UVA light.
2. Skin Camouflage: Cosmetic creams and makeup can be used to camouflage affected areas of the skin. These topical creams are waterproof.
3. Depigmentation: Depigmentation is used to treat widespread areas affected by vitiligo. The skin color of the unaffected areas is reduced in order to match the affected areas. It is done using topical ointments.
Vitiligo is a skin disease, the major causes of which are still to be discovered. Proper care and treatment should be taken for skin areas affected by vitiligo.

Vitiligo: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

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