To treat vitiligo, doctors generally prescribe vitamins, such as vitamins C, E, B12, D, and folic acid, in combination with other treatment regimens.
Vitiligo is a common pigmentary disorder caused by the destruction of functional melanocytes. Vitamin D is an essential hormone synthesized in the skin and is responsible for skin pigmentation. Low levels of vitamin D have been observed in vitiligo patients and in patients with other autoimmune diseases.
Skin lesions associated with vitamin B12 deficiency are skin hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, angular stomatitis, and hair changes. Cutaneous lesions that do not respond to conventional therapy can be an indication of vitamin B12 deficiency.
In another study of people with vitiligo, oral supplementation with folic acid (10 mg per day) and vitamin B12 (2,000 mcg per day), combined with sun exposure, resulted in some repigmentation after three to six months in about half of the participants.
High-dose vitamin D3 therapy may be effective and safe for vitiligo and psoriasis patients. The steroid hormone known as the active form of vitamin D (“calcitriol,” “1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D” or “1,25(OH)2D”) generates a wide range of biological responses.
Vitamin B12 has been shown to be useful for repigmentation in patients suffering from vitiligo. Folic acid (or vitamin B9) has been proven to be significant for treating vitiligo.
Black/Red gram or Desi-chana (Chickpeas), Black dates, Red Radish, Beetroot and Carrot are helpful in Vitiligo and considered as Vitiligo diet. These are seen helpful in pigmentation process and helpful in coverage of white patches.
But this doesn't mean that their low vitamin D caused, or is even affecting, their vitiligo, and supplementing their vitamin D may be a good idea for their overall health, but is unlikely to help their vitiligo.
Light therapy.
Phototherapy with narrow band ultraviolet B (UVB) has been shown to stop or slow the progression of active vitiligo. It might be more effective when used with corticosteroids or calcineurin inhibitors. You'll need therapy two to three times a week.
Deficiencies in calcium, vitamin D and vitamin E can cause white patches on the skin. While harmless, these white spots indicate that you need to eat a healthy, balanced diet.
Protect your skin from the sun.
A bad sunburn can worsen vitiligo. If you have a lighter skin tone, there's another advantage to protecting your skin from the sun. Without a tan, the lighter spots and patches are often less noticeable.
Vitiligo is an idiopathic disorder of skin and hair characterized by melanin loss. Nonetheless thyroid disorder is a major cause of this pathology, other factors participate in its expression. Hormones such as, testosterone and estrogen have been suspected as drivers of this disorder.
It is generally recommended that people with vitiligo keep their vitamin D levels in the mid-upper range of normal. One study suggests that a high-dose vitamin D therapy may be safe and effective in reducing vitiligo activity.
Vitiligo can be triggered by stress to the melanin pigment-producing cells of the skin, the melanocytes. The triggers, which range from sunburn to mechanical trauma and chemical exposures, ultimately cause an autoimmune response that targets melanocytes, driving progressive skin depigmentation.
Topical steroids. Topical steroids come as a cream or ointment you apply to your skin. They can sometimes stop the spread of the white patches and may restore some of your original skin colour.
Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease of the skin, which means that someone with vitiligo has an immune system that is malfunctioning in a small way. The normal role of the immune system is to protect you from infections and cancer.
It is also an important coenzyme in the reactions of melanin synthesis. It has been suggested that zinc supplements are a beneficial adjuvant therapy for patients with vitiligo. This theory is based on zinc's proposed ability to protect melanocytes via antiapoptotic and antioxidant properties.
A diet for vitiligo should also include foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and seeds, as these have anti-inflammatory properties which can reduce the inflammation that contributes to the development of vitiligo.
However, vitiligo is not caused by a vitamin deficiency and therefore CANNOT BE cured by vitamins alone. Vitamin supplements can have an opposite effect: for example, an excessive intake of Vitamin C can worsen vitiligo symptoms, so keep it at normal levels.
Lactoferrin, an iron-binding glycoprotein found in whey, is a non-enzymatic antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. A mouse study revealed the ability of lactoferrin to downregulate levels of TNF-α and IL-6, which are supposed to be involved in the pathogenesis of vitiligo.
Pyrostegia venusta (also known as “cipó – de – são - joão”) is a herb of the family Bignoniaceae, widely distributed in southern Brazil, where topical formulations are commonly used for the treatment of vitiligo.