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What Do White Skin Spots Indicate?

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Posted on Fri, 12 Dec 2014
Question: Hello Sir,
I have few questions related with leucoderma. My son who is 8 years old got few white spots from last 1 month. I am 36 yr old and i am suffering from lecucoderma from past 23 years. But my questions are for my son. Please help me and guide me. My questions are as under-
1. Is leucoderma can be cured or can any medicine stop the spreading of white spots?
2. Which stream (Ayurveda, allopathy or homeopathy) of medical science has cure for leucoderma?
3. Suggest me the doctor's name in XXXXXXX city, XXXXXXX if there is any cure.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (53 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Vitiligo

Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thanks for writing to us at healthcaremagic

I have gone through your query and I have understood it.

Your concern seems to be "Vitiligo"

Vitiligo is an unpredictable disease. There can be various patterns of presentation:
-Focal: A single or a few patches.
-Segmental: Involving a body segment (e.g arm Or leg Or chest).
-Generalized: Multiple patches distributed all over the body.

Approximately 20% of vitiligo patients have at least one first degree relative (father, sibling) affected with vitiligo.
Younger people are more frequently affected and have active vitiligo compared to older patients.

It may start as a single patch which may stay unchanged for a long duration Or may gradually increase in size Or it may be followed by new patches elsewhere Or alternatively it may start as multiple patches from the beginning with rapid involvement of multiple body sites.
Oral steroids are indicated particularly for rapidly spreading vitiligo; Oral Levamisole is an immunomodulator and is indicated mainly for slowly spreading disease.

Treatment of vitiligo is guided by the extent of involvement and whether it is spreading or stable.
While topical treatment alone suffices for a few focal patches; for widespread vitiligo systemic treatment is required.
It may or may not recur; there is no way to predict its future course Or guarantee a cure

Allopathy is the way to go in my view

Topical treatment options are topical steroid, topical tacrolimus, basic fibroblast growth factor etc
Systemic treatment for widespread involvement includes phototherapy (NB-UVB), oral steroids etc.
Surgical measures can be tried in stable vitiligo if medicines do not produce the desired results and include suction blister therapy; melanocyte culture and grafting etc
Having said that, limited disease has a better prognosis than widespread or extensive disease.

Treatment can be modified according to the course of disease.

You can visit a dermatologist of your own choice. I can suggest you:

-Command hospital,wanowrie, XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
-B.J. Medical College &Sassoon Hospital, XXXXXXX XXXXXXX

Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Kakkar (22 hours later)
Thank you very much for quick reply. Could you please give your opinion about the DRDO product Lukoskin and how much it is effective and successful for patient.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Vitiligo Treatment

Detailed Answer:
Hi.

This medicine has Oral as well as Topical forms. It contains Psoralens. Sun exposure is part of therapy to stimulate re-pigmentation.
The principle behind this therapy is the same as Phototherapy used to treat Vitiligo (NB-UVB Phototherapy and PUVA (Psoralen + UVA Phototherapy)) i.e stimulation of melanocytes to produce pigment.

Results are there as are with other forms of therapy, but I personally won't vouch for it. It is not a curative treatment for Vitiligo. In fact, all the treatment options that are presently available for Vitiligo, none are curative.

I would suggest you to go for Allopathy. Phototherapy with NB-UVB is better in my view as compared with the DRDO product.

Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Kakkar (2 days later)
Dear sir,

Could you tell me that what is the difference between leucoderma and vitiligo? I am still confused that i am suffering from leucoderma or vitiligo. The very 1st spot which i got was after injury and afterwards i got many other spots at various parts. But thing is that the appearance of spots are symmetrical in my body that means i have spots on both of my knees, ankles, elbows. Could you throw some light on this to clarify me please.

regards
Smriti
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Vitiligo and Leucoderma

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Vitiligo and leucoderma are not synonymous with each other. They are different.

Leucoderma is basically "vitiligo like" depigmentation but it is not vitiligo.

Vitiligo arises spontaneously. Vitiligo arising after injury Or at trauma prone sites like elbows, knee is due to *koebner phenonmena, which is known in vitiligo. (*Koebner phenonmena is appearance of new lesions at sites of trauma)

Vitiligo arises without any underlying or preceding cause, Leucoderma usually has a preceding cause e.g Chemical Leucoderma, Burn Induced Leucoderma, Steroid injection induced Leucoderma.

Chemical leucoderma can be difficult to distinguish clinically from vitiligo but there is history of repeated exposure to a known or suspected chemical depigmenting agent.

Regards
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Dr. Kakkar

Dermatologist

Practicing since :2002

Answered : 9612 Questions

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What Do White Skin Spots Indicate?

Brief Answer: Vitiligo Detailed Answer: Hello. Thanks for writing to us at healthcaremagic I have gone through your query and I have understood it. Your concern seems to be "Vitiligo" Vitiligo is an unpredictable disease. There can be various patterns of presentation: -Focal: A single or a few patches. -Segmental: Involving a body segment (e.g arm Or leg Or chest). -Generalized: Multiple patches distributed all over the body. Approximately 20% of vitiligo patients have at least one first degree relative (father, sibling) affected with vitiligo. Younger people are more frequently affected and have active vitiligo compared to older patients. It may start as a single patch which may stay unchanged for a long duration Or may gradually increase in size Or it may be followed by new patches elsewhere Or alternatively it may start as multiple patches from the beginning with rapid involvement of multiple body sites. Oral steroids are indicated particularly for rapidly spreading vitiligo; Oral Levamisole is an immunomodulator and is indicated mainly for slowly spreading disease. Treatment of vitiligo is guided by the extent of involvement and whether it is spreading or stable. While topical treatment alone suffices for a few focal patches; for widespread vitiligo systemic treatment is required. It may or may not recur; there is no way to predict its future course Or guarantee a cure Allopathy is the way to go in my view Topical treatment options are topical steroid, topical tacrolimus, basic fibroblast growth factor etc Systemic treatment for widespread involvement includes phototherapy (NB-UVB), oral steroids etc. Surgical measures can be tried in stable vitiligo if medicines do not produce the desired results and include suction blister therapy; melanocyte culture and grafting etc Having said that, limited disease has a better prognosis than widespread or extensive disease. Treatment can be modified according to the course of disease. You can visit a dermatologist of your own choice. I can suggest you: -Command hospital,wanowrie, XXXXXXX XXXXXXX -B.J. Medical College &Sassoon Hospital, XXXXXXX XXXXXXX Regards