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 disease which results in the loss of skin colouring pigment and ultimately the person loose his or her skin colour in blotches. The rate and to what extent the colour loss will happen is always unpredictable. When the Melanocytes cells lose their ability or get destroyed completely, the human skin starts losing it's skin colour produced by these Melanocyte cells. Vitiligo can generally affect skin present of any body part. Vitiligo is a common disease and it affects almost one million people every year all over the world. The disease can affect a person of any age.

Causes of Vitiligo

There are different causes due to which Vitiligo is caused. Let us have a look :

Vitiligo can happen due to an autoimmune disorder, when the immune system becomes overactive and results in the destruction of the colour pigment-producing cells i.e. the Melanocytes.
Vitiligo is also believed to affect people because of genetic factors. The immune system can get affected by the genes and results in a loss of skin colouring melanocytes. It can be hereditary and gets passed on. However, it is not at all contagious and cannot be passed on to someone else.
Harmful exposure to UV rays can cause the body to loose melanocyte cells. Heavy sunburn is also a common cause of the disease.
A stressful life schedule or oxidative stress imbalance can easily make the melanocyte cells to go weak and eventually wither away.
A foreign virus or bacteria which may enter into the immune system and if not destroyed affects the melanocytes in different parts of the body.
Treatment for Vitiligo-

Vitiligo Treatment or White Patches Treatment is based on improving your skin s appearance by restoring its colour. Re-pigmentation treatment is most successful on face and trunk; hands, feet and areas with white hair respond poorly. Compared to long-standing patches, new ones are more likely to respond to medical therapy.

The treatment can be classified into

Medical

Medicines applied to the skin, such as:
Corticosteroid creams or ointments
Immunomodulator creams or ointments, such as Elidel & Protopic
Topical drugs such as methoxsalen (Oxsoralen)
Oral Medical treatment includes the use of immune-modulating drugs such as systemic corticosteroids, levamisole, cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, vitamin supplements (especially vitamin B12 and folic acid).
Phototherapy NBUVB full body   A medical procedure in which your skin is exposed to ultraviolet A (UVA) or ultraviolet B (UVB) light from a special lamp in full body chambers.
Excimer (Targeted Phototherapy)   Targeted phototherapy, also called concentrated phototherapy, focused phototherapy and microphototherapy, involves delivery of ultraviolet radiation directly focused on, or targeted at, the skin lesion through special delivery mechanisms.
Surgical Procedures

Surgical treatment   Normal skin is used as donor tissue and then grafts are surgically transplanted on areas of Vitiligo treatment. The new skin grafts start producing pigment. Patients who are candidates for this procedure must have stable Vitiligo, or Vitiligo that has not changed for at least one year. The criteria of stability is taken as (a) no new White patches, (b) no extension of existing White patches and (c) no loss of pigmentation of previously repigmened patches for at least 1 year. This procedure can be used for patients with limited areas of Vitiligo and also in those with more extensive disease.
Melanocyte cell transplantation   In this procedure, a skin graft is taken from the patients own thigh, this skin is then treated with an enzyme known as trypsin which separates all the layers of the skin and thus Melanocytes and Keratinocytes are concentrated. The Vitiligo (Skin White Spot) skin is then removed with the use of diamond burs or Lasers and the cells are transplanted. The advantage of this procedure is that cell culture is not needed and that skin harvesting from the donor area, preparation of cell separation and application of Melanocytes can all be undertaken in a single 3-h procedure.
Blister Grafting   In this procedure, blisters are created on your pigmented skin primarily by using suction. The tops of the blisters are then cut out and transplanted to a depigmented skin area where a blister of equal size has been created and removed.
Punch grafting  Punch grafting is the simplest and the least expensive of all the grafting procedures in Vitiligo. The procedure involves the transfer of circular pieces or punches of skin tissue from the donor area into similar shaped pits that are made on the recipient skin. The size of these punches can range from 1 mm to 2 mm and they are spaced 5-10 mm apart on the recipient skin.
De-pigmentation  Depigmentation involves fading the rest of the skin on your body to match the already-white areas. If you have vitiligo on more than 50 percent of your body, depigmentation may be the best treatment option. In this procedure, the drug monobenzone (Benoquin) is applied twice a day to the pigmented areas of your skin until they match the already-depigmented areas. Some patients who are resistant to depigmentation with drug monobenzone (Benoquin) will need Q Switch NDYAG Laser to destroy the pigment cells. Depigmentation in most patients is a permanent technique in which the whole body is gradually turned white.
Color (Camouflage)   Camouflage used to treat vitiligo can be classified into two- temporary and permanent. 
Temporary colouring is the method which intends to blend the white patches with the rest of the body s colour. The method is done using coloured creams to the affected skin. Those creams will have the same shade as that of the natural skin. Applying the creams make the patches less noticeable.
Tattooing (permanent coloring)   Tattooing is injecting artificial pigment into the depigmented area. After selecting the pigment shade which matches the surrounding skin color, the pigment granules are implanted into the depigmented patch either with a manual or electrically driven needles. Though the patch resembles the surrounding normal skin, it may permanently fade or acquire a bluish hue after 1   2 years which is distinctly noticeable and may become unacceptable. Hence, tattooing is usually not advised unless the patch is in an inoperable site.

Best Vitiligo Treatment  - Medical & Surgical Methods

If you see continual and long-term white patches of depigmentation on your skin, it could be vitiligo. Vitiligo is a condition that appears when melanocytes in your skin are no more alive. This bunch of cells is responsible for producing the melanin pigment that endows the skin with its colour as well as protects it from the harmful UV rays. The area which may be affected by this dermatological disease varies from person to person, and it can also affect the hair, mouth and eyes as well. In most cases, the vitiligo affected area stays discoloured for the rest of the patient s life.

Various types of vitiligo and their symptoms
Scientists have classified vitiligo into two types: segmental and non-segmental. The non-segmental vitiligo is the most common variant and 90 percent of vitiligo affected patients suffer from this kind of disorder. In this disease, the patches take place with little symmetry on both sides of the body. It can be further broken down into 5 sub-divisions.

Generalised vitiligo: It can occur at any part of the body without any rules, and this is by far the most common type.
Acrofacial vitiligo: It is mostly seen on the toes and fingers.
Mucosal vitiligo: In this condition, the discolouration normally takes place around the lips and mucous membranes.
Universal vitiligo: This is the rarest type of vitiligo where the whole body is covered in white patches.
Focal vitiligo: This is most commonly found in children. The children have white and scattered patches across the body.
Possible treatments for vitiligo

Though there are no treatments possible that will re-pigment your skin to its original colour, there are several remedies that aid in decreasing the visibility of white patches on the affected areas of the skin. Some of them include:

Phototherapy with UVB radiation: This is a common form of treatment where the affected area is exposed to UVB radiation and can be performed at home too. If you have large white spots across the body, it is important to have the treatment performed by an expert at any healthcare centre.
Phototherapy with UVA radiation: In this treatment, a drug is first administered for increasing skin s sensitivity to this radiation. Then the affected area of the skin is exposed to high doses of UVA radiation.
Skin camouflage: In mild cases of vitiligo, cosmetic creams and make-up can be used to camouflage the affected area. It can last for about 12- 18 hours when applied in proper techniques.
In case you are suffering from vitiligo, it is crucial to speak with an expert and opt for the best means to curb down the impact of vitiligo.

Vitiligo - Signs You Are Suffering From It!

Orange Peel Scrub For Flawless Glowing Skin

An orange is much more than just a refreshing tangy fruit. Orange, rich in Vitamin C, is the best all rounder when it comes to your skin. It’s rich in antioxidants and helps your skin to get younger looking, glowing and healthy. It’s almost a miracle for your skin.

Ground orange peels (and nothing else) just on their own make for the perfect scrub. 

It has these 4 effects on your skin.

1. Scrubbing off Dead Skin: The leathery granular texture & calcium present in it, serves as a gentle but extremely effective scrub, removing layers of dead and decaying skin. 

2. Moisturizing: The natural oil & potassium present in orange peel moisturizes & hydrates your skin simultaneously. 

3. Anti-ageing: The antioxidants neutralize the free radicals keeping wrinkles and sagging cheeks at bay.  Vitamin C & Magnesium present in it make skin glowing, youthful & healthy.

4. Skin Lightening: The orange peel also serves as a natural bleaching agent which helps with skin whitening. 

How to Get the Glow: To get an instant glow, all you need to do is rub frozen orange peel cubes onto your skin.  Continue rubbing till the cubes dissolve onto your skin into a scrub/mask. Splash your face with water to reveal the magic!

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

4 Magical  Effects Orange Peel Has On Your Skin

Why Papaya is the God of Perfect Skin

Use a particular face wash and your face is free of all dead cells. it's not so simple. To dissolve the dead cells, the protein in the cells must be broken down. The only effective ingredients to do the job are AHAs or Alpha Hydroxy Acids. This is why many skin exfoliating products contain AHAs. 


Papain, which is found in Papaya has similar properties. Papaya is a safe and natural, plant-based alternative to chemical exfoliants. To remove dead cells, gently massage papaya pulp on your face for about 5-7 minutes. Rinse your face alternatively with warm and cold water.  Remember not to overdo it though! Papaya is an acidic fruit, so don’t let the mask sit on your face for too long as it might cause dryness and skin irritation.




Do You Know: Why Papaya is the God of Perfect Skin?

Oily skin and summers: what is the ideal way to handle it?

Oily skin is a condition that can be characterized by shine on the skin and a large number of pores. The oil in question is a result of overactive sebaceous glands that produce excessive sebum. This can result in acne and blackheads. Summer is a time of the year where skin problems due to oily skin are worsened by factors such as sweat and dust. So proper skin care is necessary in order to negate the effects of oily skin.

There are multiple ways to handle this condition in summers:

1. Using cleansers - Proper cleaning of skin is a very important step in lessening the effects of oily skin. Harsh cleansers have an opposing effect as they facilitate secretion of oil, so a mild cleanser is usually the best option. Some cleansers may contain ingredients that irritate the skin, so care is advised in selecting a proper one.

2. Hydration and food - Keeping the body well hydrated in summers combined with a diet free of greasy, oily food and less fats can help in reducing the effects of oily skin.

3. Using masks to clear the face - Masks such as clay masks, yogurt, and baking soda can help in cleansing the skin by clearing the oil. It should be noted that these treatments should not be overdone as they can cause the skin to dry up too much and over secrete oil.

4. Skin moisturizers - People often have this notion that oily skin does not require moisturizer application. Selecting a moisturizer that is fit for oily skin and using it will help moisturize the skin and keep it healthy.

5. Sunscreen - Sunscreen is a necessity during summers, and the sunscreen you choose should be specifically for oily skin in order for it to work effectively. Application of sunscreen can help prevent the UV rays of the sun from penetrating the skin and cause complications.

6. Dermatological treatment - In case of severe oiliness, treatments such as chemical peels and creams laced with tretinoin can help.



Oily skin and summers: what is the ideal way to handle it?

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