Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam   

Expert dispels myths related to Vitiligo

VISAKHAPATNAM: Vitiligo (Bolli in Telugu), a common disease with white patches appearing on the body, is associated with a lot of social stigma but it is not a dreadful disease and can be cured to a large extent. It is also not contagious.

“Unfortunately in India, a lot of social stigma is attached to the disease and patients are treated as outcasts some times. The social stigma in countries like India might be due to our dark complexion on which the white patches stand out.

However, people must understand that it is not a dangerous or contagious disease”, noted dermatologist G. Raghu Rama Rao said on Sunday, on the eve of Vitiligo Day being observed by the Indian dermatologists.

Non-production of melanin pigment by melonocytes (which provides dark complexion to the skin) results in the appearance of white patches over the body, which is called vitiligo. It is an anti-immuno disease with auto-antibodies destroying melonocytes.

“The exact cause of vitiligo has not been established yet but it might occur due to constant contact with chemicals, like in tanning industry and oil industry.

Heredity might also play a role but there is no guarantee that a child gets vitiligo even if both its parents have vitiligo,” says he. In a study conducted by his Surya Skin Care and Research Centre, it was found that 36 per cent of the vitiligo patients had a family history of the disease. It is also found that 16 per cent of patients are likely to develop diabetes and 12 per cent can have thyroid problems. Hence it is necessary to conduct relevant tests. He asserts that vitiligo can be greatly reduced and cured in most of the cases, except in the cases where 90 per cent of the skin turned white. Early detection and treatment are important aspects.

The present modern treatment method is basically similar to the one pioneered by the ancient Indians and Egyptians—administering medicine (power of gasagasalu seeds) to the patient and get him or her exposed to the sun. Vitiligo is an ancient disease and is mentioned in the Adharvana Veda as Sweta Kustu and also in the Bible and Manu Samhita in 200 B.C. “The present PUVA (psoralen ultraviolet A) therapy involves administration of phototoxic drug psoralen and exposing the body to UV light in controlled conditions.

This provides privacy and also the treatment can be given at any time as we need not depend on the sun light. In the latest Narrow Band UV B therapy the drugs can be avoided and it is safe for even children and pregnant women”, he said.

In the cases where the white patches on lips and hands do not respond to even NBUVB treatment, skin grafting and punch grafting are done. Very small pieces of skin from other parts is grafted on the white areas in the latter technique and the melanin in the dark skin pieces spreads to other parts turning the white parts into dark.

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