Vitiligo is a disease where the skin loses the pigment that gives it colour, and white patches start appearing on the skin surface. The precise reasons for the development of Vitiligo, are yet to be identified. Vitiligo is persistent, and no wonder drug is available to treat the condition. However, some Vitiligo treatments do provide help in healing it partially, mostly taking care of the cosmetic aspects.

Many doctors advise Vitiligo patients to go for Phototherapy. This is a widely used treatment, which entails exposure to ultraviolet rays causing the skin to tan. This is not dissimilar to the techique used for smartlipo or pearly penile papules treatment. The treatment uses a substance called Psoralen, which is either consumed orally or applied on the affected area. The white patches are then exposed to UVA rays, resulting in activation of melanocytes, the cells that are responsible for melanin production.

According to the vitiligo treatments web site, grafting of skin is another remedy for Vitiligo patients. This is a surgical way of re-pigmentation the skin. In this treatment, a melanocyte graft is used to replace the white patch so that the pigmentation process can be restarted.

In the worst scenario, where almost all of the skin has become diseased, de-pigmenting the healthy areas is sometimes recommended. White patches cannot be distinguished from the normal skin after this treatment, which is cosmetically a better alternative for most patients. This however should be seen as the last option, and patients should refrain from it unless it becomes necessary.

Alternative Vitiligo treatments based on natural therapies are also available. These include use of substances like Ginkgo biloba and peppermint oil. Several cosmetics, which hide the white patches, can also be found, and a specialist should be able to recommend some good products.

A lot of work is still needed to fully understand this disease and its causes. However, these Vitiligo treatments provide some cosmetic options to the patients. With the fields of biotechnology and genetics advancing day by day, a better cure could be on the horizon.