What medicine is effective in treating vitiligo?

The vast majority of vitiligo are divided into two types, congenital and acquired. Congenital patients mostly have genetic factors, and gene mutations, or nutritional deficiencies or malnutrition during pregnancy and development cannot be ruled out. This will cause the melanocytes in the skin to become disconnected and functional after birth, and white spots will appear on certain parts that are frequently exposed to sunlight and sun exposure. Vitiligo is not a hidden disease, but it mostly occurs in easily exposed parts. However, some people may also develop vitiligo on the top of their heads. To treat vitiligo, you must master the principles of medication, and only surgical treatment can be performed for more serious cases. Therefore, in terms of treatment, you must choose the appropriate conditioning method based on your personal physical condition.

1. Medication

(1) Oral administration of psoralen and its derivatives such as methoxsalen followed by exposure to ultraviolet light.

(2) Long-term use of large doses of vitamins such as B vitamins, vitamin C, and vitamin P.

(3) Treatments include drugs containing copper, such as 0.5% copper sulfate solution taken orally.

(4) Oral immunomodulatory agent levamisole, intramuscular injection of freeze-dried Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), oral administration of bovine placenta, etc.

(5) Skin irritants are applied topically to cause inflammation of the skin and promote pigmentation. Commonly used ones include 30% psoralea corylifolia tincture, nitrogen mustard alcohol, phenol (pure carbolic acid), 25% to 50% trichloroacetic acid, and blister beetle tincture. This method is only suitable for small skin lesions, and blisters may appear on the lesions after application.

(6) Corticosteroids: Local packing treatment with various corticosteroids such as beclomethasone dipropionate ointment, halometasone cream, and triamcinolone urea ointment.

2. Surgery

Patients with stable skin lesions and no progression can undergo autologous epidermal transplantation.

3. Depigmentation therapy

It is suitable for those with large skin lesions that exceed more than half of the body surface area. 3% to 20% hydroquinone monobenzyl ether cream can be applied externally.

4. Physical therapy

Treatment is with narrow-wave ultraviolet light, long-wave ultraviolet light or 308nm excimer laser.

Topical medications

Creams containing corticosteroids are more effective in reducing pigmentation in small areas of the skin. Can be used in combination with other methods. Hormones can cause skin atrophy and even form stretch marks in specific areas and should be used under the guidance of a doctor. The topical calcineurin inhibitor tacrolimus has achieved good results in the treatment of vitiligo and does not have the side effects of long-term topical hormones, so it is worth trying.

Light therapy

311 Narrowband UVB Therapy

The 311 narrow-band UVB skin disease treatment system is a photochemotherapy that irradiates the skin lesions with ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 311nm, stimulates the proliferation and migration of melanocytes, stimulates the activity of tyrosinase, accelerates the oxidation and polymerization of tyrosine, promotes the formation of growth factors that cause melanocyte proliferation and differentiation, restores damaged melanocytes, and achieves the purpose of curing vitiligo.

EX-308 Excimer Laser Treatment System

The Vitiligo EX-308 Excimer Laser Treatment System is considered to be the pinnacle of phototherapy for skin diseases. It uses the principle that a single 308nm wavelength can penetrate 1.5mm of the superficial dermis and effectively induce apoptosis of pathological cells of skin diseases. It directly irradiates the skin lesions with a 308nm light beam to cause related biological and chemical changes, thereby promoting skin pigment synthesis and achieving the purpose of completely curing stubborn skin diseases such as vitiligo and psoriasis.

The EX-308 excimer laser treatment system has the characteristics of no surgery, no pain, eradication of root causes, and anti-recurrence. It is one of the most popular treatment methods for patients with skin diseases. It is suitable for patients with vitiligo and psoriasis who have been uncured and have recurred, especially for adolescent patients.