Vitiligo safety and protection: Summer Tips

Summer is one of the best seasons of the year in South Africa but for people living with Vitiligo there is a lot of safety that needs to be considered before basking in the sun. This has prompted us to research more on these safety tips to protect of our fragile skin.

Certain self-care tactics may help you care for your skin and improve its appearance:

• Protect your skin. If you have vitiligo, particularly if you have fair skin, use sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays. If the skin isn't protected with sunscreen, vitiligo patches may burn or scar. Sunscreen helps protect your skin from sunburn and long-term damage. Sunscreen also minimizes tanning, which makes the contrast between normal and depigmented skin less noticeable. Use a sunscreen with sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or more and water resistant.
• Conceal imperfections. Cosmetics that cover the white patches on your skin may improve your appearance and help you feel better about yourself. These cosmetic products may be particularly effective if you have vitiligo that's limited to exposed areas of your body. You may need to experiment with several brands of concealing cosmetics, such as Dermablend or Chromelin, before finding a product that works best for you. (We do advise people to consult a dermatologist before buying any cosmetic products over the counter)

According to dermatologist they share the following tips, this summer:

Protect your skin from the sun

Everyone who has vitiligo can benefit from sun protection. Here's why:

• Skin that has lost its colour sunburns very easily
• A bad sunburn can worsen vitiligo
• If you chose to treat vitiligo with depigmentation, that is removing he remaining colour from your skin, the sun can cause spots of colour to form on your skin. You will need to depigment your skin again to remove these spots of colour.

To protect your skin from the sun, excluding sunscreen and concealers dermatologist recommend the following:

1. Apply sunscreen everyday at least 15 minutes before going outdoors
2. Reapply sunscreen when outdoor, every 2 hours, even on cloudy day and after being in water or sweating.
3. Wear clothing that protects your skin from the sun. skin covered by clothing that has a high SPF does not need sunscreen. Not all clothing offers high SPF. A long-sleeve denim shirt has an SPF of about 1 700. A white t-shirt only has an SPF 7, and a green t-shirt has an SPF 10. You can boost the SPF of clothing, by adding a product that increases the SPF of clothing during the wash cycle. You add this product to wash machine. The increase in SPF is usually good for about 20 washings.
4. Seek Shade - This is especially important when your shadow is shorter than you are. That's when the sun's damaging rays are at their strongest and you are likely to sunburn.

Do not use tanning beds and sun lamps

These are not safe alternatives to the sun. These, too, can burn skin that has lost pigment. If you want to add colour to your skin, consider using a cosmetic. Cosmetics can safely add colour to your skin if you want to add colour without undergoing treatment. Cosmetics that can add colour are self-tanners, dyes, and makeup. Here are some tips that dermatologist offer their patients;

• Dyes work best for white spots.
• When looking for a self-tanner, choose a product that contains dihydroxyactone.
• with practice, most people can achieve a neutral look with a concealing cream or self-tanner.

Do not get a tattoo

Getting a tattoo can cause something called Keobnerization or the Koebner phenomenon. what this means is, when you wound your skin, which getting a tattoo does, a new patch of vitiligo can appear about  to days later.

Learn about Vitiligo 

Knowledge often improves a person's quality of life. It helps to know about treatment options so that you know what is possible. learning more about vitiligo can help you decide what feels right for you. You may want to treat it, camouflage with cosmetics, or just let it be. Only you can decide what's right for you. If you decide not to treat vitiligo, it's still important to see a dermatologist for an accurate diagnosis and physical. Vitiligo is a medical condition, not just a cosmetic concern.

Connect with Others who have Vitiligo

The emotional aspects of having vitiligo are often overlooked, but they are real. If a child has vitiligo children may tease and bully. People can stare. Studies conclude that many people who have vitiligo have a decreased quality of life. At Beyond Vitiligo we believe life doesn't stop with having vitiligo, we look beyond the skin condition. Join the community and lets chit chat our sorrows away

http://www.facebook.com/BeyondvitiligoSA

@beyondvitiligo

Sources:

http://www.aad.org/skin-conditions/dermatology-a-to-z/vitiligo/tips

http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/skin_stuff/vitiligo.html#

http://www.avrf.org/facts/sun.htm

Depigmentation: To Pursue or Not to Pursue

There has been some misunderstanding in our communities in regards to depigmentation. We have to admit they are people out there who use certain products to lighten their skin complexion at the same time there is depigmentation for vitiligo patients. This article intends to enlighten how skin depigmentation works. Enjoy!!

If you have vitiligo, you most likely have heard of depigmentation, the process by which the remaining pigment is permanently removed from the skin and wondered where it fits into vitiligo treatment. Is it something you should consider?

People who consider depigmentation have reached a point where medical therapy no longer offers hope for controlling their disease. Generally, the vitiligo has become so severe that one has come to the place where you either continue to live with the diseases progression or depigment. Some who have extensive vitiligo find it preferable, and easier, to depigment the remaining unaffected skin rather than try to repigment the vitiligo-affected skin.

The first step in the decision

Even though one reaches the point of considering depigmentation, making the actual decision to go forward is not an easy one. Depigmentation is permanent, irreversible. There are many concerns and even fears that naturally arise. For example, will the pigment come back? Are there skin reactions?

Do people regret having started the treatment? Are there side effects?

People of non-white ethnicity face additional concerns about loss of racial identity, as well as cultural and social concerns that also must be addressed prior to starting treatment. How will family and friends respond? Will people still accept me if I am a different color?

What is involved in depigmenting the skin?

Depigmentation therapy is designed to remove the remaining pigment in the skin to match the areas that are already white. For people who have vitiligo on more than 50% of their bodies, depigmentation may be the best treatment option.

A dermatologist must decide whether this treatment is appropriate. A recent survey showed that dermatologists vary in their opinion as to who should be eligible for this therapy. The survey showed that 42% of dermatologists are in favor of depigmentation when vitiligo affects more than 50% of the body, while 32% feel that patients must wait until it affects more than 75% of the body.

In general, depigmentation is limited to the patient for whom repigmentation therapies have failed and/or has more than 50% pigment loss in their skin or when the depigmentation is extensive in the cosmetically sensitive areas of the hands and face. Depigmentation is not generally recommended for children.

The main method used to depigment vitiligo-affected skin is the topical application of monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone (MBEH) (also referred to as monobenzone). MBEH is a topical prescription product applied to the pigmented areas. This is the only drug approved by the FDA for depigmentation therapy of advanced vitiligo. For many years, MBEH was available under the brand name Benoquin, but it has now been discontinued by the manufacturer. MBEH is now only available as a compounded product (monobenzone powder added to a base cream) made by specialized pharmacies

How is it used?

A cream with a 20% concentration of MBEH is applied twice a day for 3-12 months. It is important to understand that this is a systemic treatment, meaning that regardless of where the cream is applied, it will affect the entire system or body and areas away from the treated area will still lighten. This is not a treatment used to selectively lighten or depigment a specific or confined area. Treatment will generally begin with a concentration of 20% MBEH. Depigmentation should begin after 3 to 4 months of application. The concentration is frequently increased to 30% or 40% during the process, but MBEH concentration greater than 40% is not recommended. If the vitiligo has been stable for years, a longer duration of therapy and higher concentration of MBEH may be required. Direct skin-to-skin contact with other people must be avoided for at least two hours after applying the drug, as transfer of the drug may cause depigmentation of the other person’s skin

How well does it work?

 According to a study on the effectiveness of MBEH in the depigmentation of vitiligo patients. It is a retrospective study where researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston looked back at the experience of 18 vitiligo patients who underwent MBEH therapy. The patients ranged in age from 26 to 68 years of age and had had vitiligo from 6 months to 51 years. Fifteen were women and three were men. Two of the patients were African American and sixteen were Caucasians. The patients had 40 to 90% depigmentation prior to beginning treatment with MBEH. In only one patient was the vitiligo rapidly progressive at the time. The remainder of the patients had stable or slowly progressing vitiligo. The treatment protocol involved the twice-daily application of 20% MBEH.

Of the 18 patients:

Eight (44%) severely-affected vitiligo patients achieved complete depigmentation. Their first signs of depigmentation occurred within one to six months (average under three months) of the start of therapy and full depigmentation was achieved in 4 - 12 months. Furthermore, after six months of MBEH use, one of these eight patients, who had experienced partial depigmentation, continued on to completely depigment after discontinuing MBEH.

• Three (17%) had dramatic, though incomplete depigmentation.
• Three (17%) experienced partial depigmentation.
• Three (17%) elected not to complete the trial.
• One (5%) could not use MBEH because of contact dermatitis.

The researchers observed that the average patient in the trial did not begin to depigment until after two-three months or more of application of the MBEH, and also found that the time of the first appearance of depigmentation was not predictive of the final degree of depigmentation. They concluded that consistent use of MBEH correlated with the eventual success of depigmentation. They reported that all those who depigmented fully said they were very pleased with their results. Two of these patients were African American.

In terms of side effects, seven of the 18 patients reported no complications. In two cases, the sensation of burning lasted only the first month of therapy. In two other patients it did limit therapy; however, mixing the MBEH with an emollient helped relieve the burning in these patients. Severe contact dermatitis did cause one patient as described above to drop out of the trial. Other side effects observed were redness or rash, dryness, and swelling.

The study's authors concluded that MBEH was effective, produced generally satisfactory results, and involved limited side effects. They concluded that treatment should lead to an onset of depigmentation within three-six months of therapy being started and full depigmentation within a year. They cautioned that occasional use thereafter may be required.

They also pointed out that during and upon completion of the depigmentation therapy patients are unusually sensitive to sunlight and permanently at risk for acquiring sunburn. Midday sun exposure should be minimized and a sunscreen used to avoid recurrence of pigment that can occur on sun-exposed sites.

Depigmentation and Melanoma

One of the concerns frequently expressed by those interested in depigmentation is whether the process increases their risk of serious skin cancers like melanoma. A study coming out in April 2011 concludes that using MBEH may actually be helpful to prevent the occurrence of melanoma in those with a family history of the disease. Since melanoma is cancer of the melanocytes, and the melanocytes are destroyed by using MBEH, it has long been reported that the risk of melanoma is low to non-existent in those who have completely depigmented.

 (Source: Dr. James J. Nordlund, Professor of Dermatology, Group Health Associates, Cincinnati, OH and Wright State School of Medicine)

Hope for Women with Vitiligo

By Dr. Dara Spearman

Dermatologist
 

Peggy - Beyond Vitiligo Project Director

Vitiligo is a disease whereby the melanocytes, the cells that give our skin pigmentation, are destroyed. This results in depigmented (or white) patches of skin. This can be localized to certain areas of the body or generalized, involving most of the body surface area. These patches may also be found on both the mucous membranes (tissues that line the inside of the mouth and nose), and in the retina (inner layer of the eyeball). The hair that grows on areas affected by vitiligo may also become depigmented. Vitiligo is a condition that is limited to the skin, hair and mucous membranes and does not cause internal problems. However, it has been shown to be highly associated with a number of other autoimmune diseases, mostly thyroid disease, but also pernicious anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and adult-onset autoimmune diabetes.

Vitiligo can have a significant effect on an individual's psychological well being. For women of color, this is especially true due to the sharp contrast of the depigmented skin with their natural, darkly pigmented skin. In fact, in some cultures there is a social stigmata associated with the condition. People affected by the disease may be viewed as evil and/or are shunned by the community.

There are a number of treatments available for vitiligo, although at this time there is no cure. For some individuals, treatment may actually involve only sun protection to prevent tanning of the unprotected areas. For lighter-skinned individuals, the difference may be hardly perceptible. For darker individuals, sun protection is necessary to prevent sunburn of the affected areas but does not improve the appearance. In people with limited involvement, makeup or cosmetic camouflage solutions can be used to hide the vitiligo patches. I often recommend Dermablend or Leg Magic cosmetic camouflage to my patients. Micropigmentation tattooing of small areas may also improve appearance.

If the patches are so widespread that coverup is not an option, other treatments are available from your dermatologist. Treatment is usually aimed at repigmentation, or returning normal pigment. Initially, topical steroid creams are often prescribed, although this treatment only results in repigmentation in 25 percent of individuals. PUVA is a therapy that improves appearance in 50-70 percent of patients. This therapy involves a medication, psoralen, and a special type of ultraviolet light, UVA. The psoralen may be applied topically to the affected areas, but is often taken in pill form. This therapy can be time consuming with two to three treatments per week for months and may also increase the risk of skin cancer.

Newer therapies include transplantation of melanocytes to affected areas to repigment the region. This is performed by taking skin grafts from inconspicuous sites, such as the gluteal region, separating out the melanocyts and then grafting them to the affected areas. The area is then exposed to UV light for two months with 70-85 percent of people experiencing almost complete repigmentation. It was discovered in early 2008 that piperine, a compound in black pepper, can stimulate pigmentation in the skin, particularly when combined with ultraviolet radiation. This repigmentation is often darker and more evenly distributed than with ultraviolet light alone. Finally, complete depigmentation with a chemical called monobenzylether of hydroquinone is an option for patients with extensive involvement. Vigilant sun protection is especially important to prevent sunburn and skin cancer.

If you are affected by this condition, it is important to discuss your treatment options with a dermatologist and to realize that new, effective therapies are available

Student with vitiligo asked to leave varsity

He had secured admission for six-year integrated B. Tech course for speech and hearing impaired
Life has not been an easy journey for 18-year-old P. Ayyappan of Tirunelveli. Born with a hearing impairment, he managed to overcome it to a significant extent through speech therapy.
His childhood dream was to become an engineer. When the Kalasalingam University near Srivilliputtur in Virudhunagar district introduced a pioneering six-year integrated B. Tech course for the speech and hearing impaired in 2007, it brightened his hope of realising his dream. He managed to get admission to the B. Tech course on July 4 and spent a day with his classmates.
The next afternoon, however, the teenager was asked to remain in his hostel room. The university authorities called his parents to say that the parents of other students had objected to their children studying with Ayyappan, because he had vitiligo or patches of white skin on his body.

Non-infectious
His mother P. Hemavathi tried in vain to convince the authorities that it was not a contagious disease.
She produced a medical certificate from an Assistant Professor in the Department of Dermatology, Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, that said “vitiligo is non-infectious and will not spread by contact.”

The doctor said it was nothing but loss of pigmentation and that the boy should be allowed to pursue his studies. However, the medical certificate failed to evoke any positive response.

When The Hindu contacted Vice-Chancellor M. Venkatesulu on Tuesday, he said the university had not taken a final decision on the student’s studies. However, Ayyappan was not allowed to attend classes and asked to remain in the hostel.

On Wednesday, the authorities asked his mother to take him home. The Vice-Chancellor could not be reached on his mobile phone on Wednesday afternoon.

“I don’t understand how the university can ask my son to leave the institution, when the tuition and hostel fees have been paid,” Ms. Hemavathi said. Kalasalingam University was the only institution offering the unique programme and he had no choice but to continue there.

“They say they are ready to take him next year if he gets cured,” she added. The university authorities have informed her that she would be apprised of the future course of action after a week over phone.

Discrimination
“This is nothing but sheer discrimination by the university authorities on the basis of leucoderma, which is only de-pigmentation of skin due to auto-immune disorder,” secretary of Chennai-based Leucoderma Awareness Movement, K. Umapathy, said.
He cited a State government order of December 27, 2010, stating that vitiligo, also called leucoderma, was neither an infectious nor a hereditary disease.
The university’s action was a rights violation and unconstitutional, he said.
Stating that there were misconceptions about vitiligo, Mr. Umapathy said the movement would approach the Departments of Health, School Education and Higher Education, seeking suitable orders that no child should be discriminated by schools and colleges on the basis of vitiligo.
 “We want the government to stop denial of admission to such students,” he add

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article3628654.ece

This is just a few of the many cases happening around the world. The only way we can fight the discrimination of people living with vitiligo is by making vitiligo known.

Gaone's story on Vitiligo and Beyond Vitiligo by Activate

In the fall of September 2011 Gaone was approached by Activate Leadership South Africa. They were searching for South African Social entrepreneurs making a difference in the society. She was chosen as one of the Activators, so they can use her story to educate young South Africans wishing to venture into social entrepreneurship.

In this documentary, Gaone narrates how she started Beyond Vitiligo from just being an idea to a registered organisation with six directors making a difference in the society. We encourage you all to share this video, because our aim is to educate the world on vitiligo.

Enjoy!!

200 young South Africans

Gaone Tlhong

Founder: Beyond Vitiligo

Although its precise cause is unknown, vitiligo causes pale regions in the skin in which cells that produce pigment are mysteriously destroyed. One in 100 of us have it but for sufferers like Gaone Tlhong, it’s society’s skin-deep reactions that make vitiligo the fight of a lifetime.

Tlhong has borne the characteristic white patches since age four. Initially, as they spread along her arms, the name-calling worsened and she withdrew from the world in embarrassment.

“It hurt when I noticed my skin changing,” she recalls. “I isolated myself from my community because I didn’t look like the others.” Battling through the marginalisation, she found the strength to turn her emotional decline around. In 2009 she started the non-profit organisation Beyond Vitiligo and set about dismantling the superstition and stigma that had weighed her down.

At the core of Tlhong’s work is to educate people to change ingrained traditional beliefs about vitiligo. She cites one African belief that vitiligo is a mark of a calling to be a traditional healer. In Tswana there is even a saying — mollo wa badimo — describing the white spots as burns from the ancestors as punishment for wrongdoing. But as far afield as India, there is a cultural bar on female sufferers marrying.

Working weekends and on lunch breaks from her job as a billing clerk, Tlhong and her expanding team are making slow progress towards what she calls “viducation” for fellow sufferers. Short on funding, they share their stories wherever they can, use social media like Twitter to publicise their cause, and even approach sufferers in malls and on the street to offer advice and invite them to join the movement.

Their latest mission is to grow June 25 from a day when members gather in mutual support into World Vitiligo Day.

— Ian Macleod

 Twitter: @GaoneTlhong

source: http://ysa2012.mg.co.za/gaone-tlhong/

Deeper than Skin: Inside the World of Vitiligo Patients

This is an article by Naomi Ogaldez

Queens, New York-Isabel Goncalves was diagnosed when she was four years old. “I was overwhelmed, shocked, and cried when I heard the news of her diagnosis of vitiligo,” said Goncalve’ mother, Maria Gonzalez.

Now that Goncalves is 12-years-old, eight years later, her skin depigmentation has spread throughout her whole body, except her face.

“She is really confident. She doesn’t like to cover up her vitiligo, ” said Gonzalez.

Even though, she is confident in her own skin, Goncalves said, people still look at her differently and, at times, make her the outcast. “On a daily basis, people are constantly making fun of me and they say I look like a cow. They are constantly saying I look weird. I am bullied,” she said.

Gocalves has vitiligo.

WHAT IS VITILIGO

The Indian Journal of Dermatology stated that about one to two percent of the world’s population suffers from this diseas

e. This skin depigmentation affects all ethnic groups and racial groups equally. Although it may seem that Latinos and African Americans are more affected because of their darker skin color, but in reality, they are not.

According to Vitiligo Support International, half of people with vitiligo have had it developed before the age 20 and about 95 percent get it before the age of 40.

“I thought I was the only one that had it, but, in reality, there are a lot of people that have it,” said Alejandra Riera, from San Juan, Puerto Rico, who has had vitiligo for 15 years. “People have a lot of misconceptions of vitiligo such as it being contagious, hereditary, and painful, but all of that is not true.”

The cause of vitiligo is still unknown, however, there are various scientific theories to the cause of vitiligo.

Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals, a global biopharmaceutical company focused on developing drugs for the treatment of skin disorders, stated that vitiligo is characterized by the destruction of melanocytes pigment cells that stop functioning, which causes the skin that is affected to become white in color.

“In order for this to happen something has to precipitate this dysfunction in the immune system, something coming [from] within, such as a sunburnt, pregnancy, physiological and psychological stress, bug bites, certain chemicals, and the environment,” said Dr. Raymond Boissy, President of the National Vitiligo Foundation and Director of Basic Science Research at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, who has studied vitiligo for more than 30 years.

Several genes have to dysfunction in order for someone to be susceptible to this complex, multi-genetic disease.

“I would describe vitiligo as the cancer or the AIDS of the 2000 because people are afraid to come out,” said Dr. Boissy. “Like cancer and HIV, therapies have developed, people with those diseases have come out and advocate for themselves, which has helped bring awareness and a better life for them. I see the same happening for vitiligo. I see the renaissance in the horizon.”

Although, there is hope in the development of a cure and awareness about vitiligo, there are still issues concerning this disease. First off, there are some health insurance companies that don’t cover vitiligo patients.

Health insurance plans sometimes consider treatments for vitiligo to be cosmetic. Most health insurance plans will not cover medical care for cosmetic purposes. For that reason, “most treatments are not to cure vitiligo, they are to conceal or lessen the appearance of white patches. This strongly suggests that the treatments are for cosmetic reasons rather than medical reasons,” said Lisa Dahl, health insurance agent at Hoffman Brown Company. This has also given a reason to Mayo Clinic to state in their website that “medical treatment for vitiligo isn’t always necessary.” According to Boissy, about 60 percent of insurance companies cover vilitigo patients, the other 40 percent does not.

“It’s not a cosmetic issue, it’s a disease, we know that there are genes that cause it,” he said.

For that reason, he went on to say that without pigmentation in the skin, people are more susceptible to skin cancer and skin aging. In addition to affecting the skin, it can also have a dramatic auto immune response, which can affect other parameters such as the thyroid, amino glands, and the joints can develop arthritis or diabetes.

LIVING WITH THE DISEASE

Danny Arcanjo, 20-year-old, from Newark, New Jersey, who is the first in his family to have vitiligo, has had it for four years now. His insurance company doesn’t cover the cost for his treatments, so he has to pay out of his pocket for them. He has paid $2,500 to get started on his skin graphing and laser treatment. Arcanjo is required to visit the dermatologist on a weekly basis– each session costs $200.

Beyond the external physical changes and battles for insurance coverage that vitiligo patients undergo, many vitiligo patients have also been affected psychologically.

“I have seen a lot of people that have vitiligo get really depressed, angry, sad, paranoid, pessimistic, and negative because you are stuck with it for life. They still haven’t found a cure for it,” said Arcanjo.

Arcanjo went on to say that people should be aware about vitiligo because it could help prevent and solve many problems for the vitiligo community such as the psychological affects that may occur from having this skin depigmentation. When people discriminate people with vitiligo, they don’t realize that they are harming them psychologically to the point of giving them a reason to commit suicide.

Also, with awareness, many people in this community would be able to achieve their dreams, instead, of having to change them.

Before he had vitligo, he was on his way to becoming a professional soccer player. His vitiligo doesn’t let him be out in the sun too much, so he had to give up that dream. He said he is only one of many who have had to alter their hopes and dreams.

The psychological ramifications of vitiligo can be seen in various patients that have it.


Isabel Goncalves from Queens, New York was diagnosed with vitiligo when she was four years old/ By: Maria Gonzalez
“It’s not only a depigmentation, a cosmetical problem, it’s physical, psychological, and it deals with your health. You will never know how it feels until you have it,” said 35-year-old mother, Johana Galindez from Long Island, New York, who is the first in her family to get vitiligo.

She experiences psychological affects from having vitiligo daily. “I hate when people stare at me, I try to hide my hands. On a daily basis, I experience a lot of negativity, it feels like a roller coaster. I know beauty comes from within, but it is very hard thing to accept, especially, if you are a person like me who was very active and had a big open social life,” said Galindez

At the age of 26, she was diagnosed with vitiligo. This caused her to end her dancing career in New York. “People don’t tell you up front, the producers, the teachers, and the cast members, but you know inside that people don’t see you the same way. They don’t care the same way,” said Galindez

source : http://www.elnuevosol.net

Dr Oz: Vitiligo – Skin Pigment Disease – Incurable Skin Condition

One of our Facebook page fans Vukile Takaphila NoVuna Racaza asked us about Dr Oz and the claimed cure of vitiligo. I did a research on the 2010 televised show and this what I found out according to http://www.drozfans.com


Doctor Oz did a show on Vitiligo, a skin disease that attacks your skin’s pigment. Tracy Edwards, a 47 year old mother, has Vitiligo, which is an incurable skin condition. Michael Jackson also had Vitiligo, which is why he struggled with the pigment of his skin color. Dr. Oz even said they did a biopsy on Michael Jackson and determined that Jackson definitely had Vitiligo. Tracy had her son Timothy when she was 34 years old, and everything changed. When Tracy looks in the mirror, she said she sees a monster. Before being diagnosed with Vitiligo, Tracy was told she had a whole host of different autoimmune diseases. Eventually Tracy, a woman of color, started to get white skin patches and was told she has Vitiligo. Tracy used to be a flight attendant, but now people just stare at her. Could Dr. Oz help? Of course!

Microskin for Vitiligo

In less than two hours, Tracy was revamped by Dr. Roy Geronemus at the Laser Center of New York. Dr. Geronemus said that usually Vitiligo is smaller (around your mouth, hands and arms), but Michael Jackson and Tracy are more extreme cases. Microskin can be formulated to be the exact same color as your skin. You can sweat through microskin, wipe it, shower and swim with it on. Microskin lasts for several days before needing to be reapplied. To get microskin, you need a computerized analysis to get the exact right color or shade of your skin. Tracy said it feels just like skin, and it does not feel thick like heavy makeup. Microskin New York is giving Tracy a full year’s supply of microskin! Tracy, you look beautiful!

Causes of Vitiligo

Usually autoimmune disorders cause Vitiligo like thyroid problems, lupus, or diabetes. Everyone has pigments in their skin, which is released by cells in the form of melatonin, which is like a dye for our skin. If your body attacks these melatonin releasing cells, then you will have no pigment in those areas and this is called Vitiligo. Vitiligo effects every race, but it is most noticeable on darker skin (like Tracy). People also seem to get Vitiligo the most in areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun.

And below are some of the very interesting comments on the article with people sharing some of the treatment out there enjoy:

Lynn Bigelman
April 14, 2010 at 1:18 pm
The segment on Vitilgo was fascinating and life changing. I believe Dr. Geronemus does some amazing life changing work with babies as well. It would be worth seeing.

Earl L. Sargent
April 29, 2010 at 1:37 am
I found this article very interesting. I have had vitiligo since 1966. It was first notice while I was in the United Army. I have had various treatments and nothing seem to help. It can be a real souce of embrasement.

Karen
July 11, 2010 at 2:05 am
I heard/read that Cuban medicine has some cure. It takes a while, but works. They claim that they help 3000-4000 people every year. I hope it’s true…

Jeanann
August 12, 2010 at 3:13 am
I’d like to thank Dr.Oz for speaking out and clearing any lingering doubts about Michael Jackson’s vitiligo. Mr. Jackson told everyone he had it, but it was more sensationalistic for the medai to print that he didn’t want to be black. Mr. Jackson always said he was proud to be a black American and proud of his race.
He was in the public eye all over the world. I can’t imagine the embarassment and the emotional pain and sadness he must have felt trying to deal with this horribly disfiguring disease.

The media played a big part in destroying Michael Jackson’s life and reputation. It is tragic that it took his death, and an autopsy report, to convince those who called him a liar. Even now, with the medical proof that he had the disease, there are still those who continue to doubt even when the truth is put in front of them! Unbelieveable!

Elizabeth
August 12, 2010 at 11:48 am
Michael Jackson came forth publicly and shared what was happening with his skin pigmentation. Very brave and strong to share his personal health problems so that we, “the ever watching public” would know the truth. Many did not believe Michael when he told about the issue of his vitiligo. How much more of what Michael told us was the absolute truth which the media took and distorted to try to tear this great humanitarian down. But, you know what, it didn’t work. Michael Joseph Jackson is still celebrated and loved the world over. Thank you Dr. Oz for emphatically stating that yes, Michael Joseph Jackson did suffer from vitiligo just as he stated.

Jackie
August 13, 2010 at 11:10 am
Actually Elizabeth, Michael did not come out and be an advocate for vitiligo. He took great pains to hide it. He had such a poor self image and distorted his looks until he became a monster. And now THAT is the legacy of vitiligo he leaves behind. Nothing ticks me off more than when people compare my daughter to Michael Jackson. He should have been an advocate and used his fame to educate and inform. He has only made things worse.

janice gordon
August 16, 2010 at 4:07 pm
i have had vitiligo since 2008 and it has rapidly taken over my whole body, which is very embarassing to look at. I am considering depigmentation, so if anyone knows of a de-pigmentation doctor please let me know

grace
December 24, 2010 at 9:48 am
please stop with the FALSE thyroid (shadow fishing) claims. it is simply a skin color problem mainly caused by yoga’s bow-pose.

teresa parada
January 17, 2012 at 6:20 pm
Hola Dr., soy de neuquen, argentina, y quisiera saber si existe alguna posibilidad de hacer el tratamiento ya que padesco vitiligo y en este pais no tengo posibilidad de tratamiento.
desde ya muchas gracias
teresa parada
A. Storni 896
8300 neuquén
Argentina

Elsa
February 27, 2012 at 9:43 pm
Where do i get the info for the treatment for vitiligo, the one at Dr Oz Show with Dr roy Geronemus?
Thank you and i’ll wait for your reply.

John
March 5, 2012 at 1:10 am
My son 4 yrs old has vitiligo. We had great results through traditional Indian treatment called Ayurveda. It comes with a cream to be applied + one tablet + colostrome powder to be mixed with milk and drink twice a day. The cream has to be applied daily and that part should be exposed to sun for about 10 minutes. We did this because we have met few people (kids) who had this condition and they had their pigmentation back on. In some case, it took about a year to do it. My son only has a small amount around his mouth and arm and it’s showing a big improvement. Happy to pass on any information if helpful.

Any Chance for Re-Pigmentation And Vitiligo Cure!

This is an article that has just been tweeted to me and I think its worthy sharing with the vitiligo family.


“Do I have any chance to get re-pigmentation?” Some of you might be having a deja-vu while reading this, whereas, others may have a negative response to this question. The above question is one of the most inquired statements by Vitiligo patients. However, it can not be simply answered as yes or no.

Dermatologists mostly refer Vitiligo as an inconsequential cosmetic condition but it is much more than that for patients suffering from it. Vitiligo is a well discussed disease however, not much effort was made in its treatment earlier.

This disease not only affects a person’s outlook but it also has a great psychological impact. Scientists have little information about the disease which is not enough to discover a permanent Cure.

Autoimmune disease and Vitiligo are closely related, and a lot has been said about it. Some researchers state that it is the overactive reaction of immune system that damages Melanocytes leading to white patches on the skin. While others believe that Melanocytes expire by themselves. However, no one is able to justify their theory yet; as Vitiligo is a chronic skin condition, having peculiar characteristics. Thus every patient has a different case history with very few similar symptoms; this is why dermatologists are unable to make much progress about the disease.

This close relation shared by Vitiligo and Autoimmune disease has given birth to the idea of using Corticosteroids and Immuno-modulators as treatment for this disease. Scientists also advise patients to go for Gluten free diet.

Gluten is mostly found in food processed with wheat and correlated species. Gluten free diet is a medically recommended treatment for Celiac disease and such autoimmune conditions. Though scientific confirmation for Gluten free diet as Vitiligo treatment is anecdotal, but since a Vitiligo cure is long-awaited; thus most Vitiligo patients with a general attitude that “it might help” and “can’t hurt” have been experimenting with this diet. A number of patients have claimed a significant improvement in skin condition after taking up the diet. Especially patients suffering from Vitiligo and Celiac disease at the same time have been best benefited from this treatment.

Another therapy which has sparked great interest among the Vitiligo people is herbal treatment. Herbal treatment, also famed as a Natural Treatment for Vitiligo, is an effective remedy for attaining re-pigmentation. Many of the online reports indicate that herbs are helpful to regain normal skin color. Although not every patient have attained same amount of re-pigmentation but visible changes have been experienced by almost every consumer.

Source: http://faceinfos.com

Pepper Compound Could Aid Millions With Vitiligo

This an article from Science Daily 2008, thought to share it with all:


ScienceDaily (Apr. 13, 2008) — Oregon Health & Science University has licensed a family of compounds derived from black pepper extract – on which it owns the patents – to AdPharma, Inc. for potential pharmaceutical development. The compounds have shown potential in animal studies to be effective in treating vitiligo, a skin pigmentation disorder.

Vitiligo, which afflicts an estimated 100 million people worldwide, is characterized by the loss of pigment in affected areas of skin. It is the disease pop star Michael Jackson has publicly disclosed that he has. It is neither life-threatening nor contagious. But the sometimes unsightly white patches it causes produce emotional distress for many and often lead to social ostracism because of a widespread misperception that the condition is infectious.
An estimated 1 percent to 2 percent of the world’s population suffers from the malady. Current treatments, which rely on immunosuppression or ultraviolet radiation to stimulate repigmentation, are only partially effective, often producing a mottled appearance. Excessive ultraviolet (UV) radiation also poses the risk of skin cancer.
“Based on the animal studies we have done, these compounds, if proved safe in humans, promise far superior results in the treatment of vitiligo than current approaches,” said Amala Soumyanath, Ph.D., an associate professor of neurology, OHSU School of Medicine. “Vitiligo is a highly visible disease that can greatly affect patients psychologically and emotionally, even driving some to consider suicide. Any breakthrough in treating it would benefit a huge number of people around the world.”
Soumyanath and her collaborators reported on the effects of their compounds in animals in a paper just published in the British Journal of Dermatology. But development of the concept dates back more than a decade. Soumyanath discovered – in research on vitiligo that she initiated at King’s College London – that piperine, the alkaloid in black pepper responsible for its pungency, stimulated the proliferation of melanocytes in cell cultures. Melanocytes are the cells that produce pigmentation in the skin. The researchers then designed and tested many synthetic piperine analogs and identified a number that produced the same result.
The group subsequently found that piperine and two of its analogs – tetrahydropiperine (THP) and a cyclohexyl derivative (RCHP) produced light, even pigmentation when applied to the skin of a poorly pigmented mouse model. When combined with UV radiation, the skin grew significantly darker and showed none of the patchiness caused by UV treatment alone. Moreover, skin pre-treated with a piperine compound required fewer UV exposures, thus lowering the cancer risk, and it took longer for the pigmentation to fade again than when UV alone was used.
Since coming to OHSU in 2002, Soumyanath has established new collaborations with scientific and clinical researchers to continue work on this project. “Dr. Soumyanath’s recent discoveries open up completely new and exciting treatment possibilities for those individuals affected by vitiligo,” said Andrew Blauvelt, M.D., professor of dermatology at OHSU and one of Soumyanath’s recent collaborators. “There is a huge unmet need for this disease because we have very few treatments to offer patients right now,” he noted.
OHSU acquired the patents to Soumyanath’s piperine compounds from King’s College London and BTG International Ltd. in 2006 and succeeded in finding a commercial partner, AdPharma, to advance the compounds through pharmaceutical development. Soumyanath has a financial interest in AdPharma. This potential conflict has been disclosed to the OHSU Conflict of Interest in Research committee for management.
AdPharma, a diverse pharmaceutical company headquartered in Arlington Heights, Ill., licenses promising compounds from scientists, universities and biotech companies and advances them through the clinical testing stage. “Our key strength is being able to identify, through our computer models and past experience, promising drugs which we can then drive through our strong development structure,” said Anil Sunkara, the company’s chief executive officer.
The next step before clinical trials can be undertaken, said Soumyanath, is to determine in animal models whether the repigmentation effects of piperine compounds is associated in any way with melanoma or other skin cancers. “From our mouse studies so far, it doesn’t appear that is the case,” she said, “and we are hopeful that more detailed research will bear this out. OHSU has ideal facilities and expertise for further preclinical and clinical studies, and we are excited to have the support of AdPharma as we move toward testing these compounds in human vitiligo.”