White Patch Removal Or Vitiligo Treatment in Lucknow

Vitiligo Surgery

Vitiligo is a disorder that causes regions of skin color loss. The discolored spots often become larger over time. The condition can affect any portion of the body's skin. It can also harm your hair and the inside of your lips. Melanin is normally responsible for the color of one's hair and skin. Vitiligo develops when melanin-producing cells die or cease to function. Vitiligo affects people of all skin colors, however, it is more visible in persons with dark or black skin. The condition is neither dangerous nor communicable. It might be stressful or make you feel self-conscious.

When do you need surgery?

In people with stable vitiligo, surgical treatment methods might be considered. The objective of vitiligo surgery is to achieve full repigmentation that resembles the surrounding normal skin in appearance. Because not all individuals or vitiliginous skin locations are appropriate for surgery, proper patient selection is critical to achieving the best possible outcome.

The ideal candidate for Vitiligo surgery

Patients with a younger age are considered for the surgery as it is in their capacity to recover quickly.

  • Patients with realistic expectations are considered suitable.
  • Surgical options can be explored with patients with a stable condition of vitiligo.
  • If you are someone whose confidence and self-esteem have been affected because of the condition.
  • If you have stable and small patches of vitiligo.

Procedure and Recovery Time

Step 1 - Anesthesia

In most cases, general anesthesia is chosen by the surgeon, if not, the best option will be suggested to tailor to your personal needs.

Step 2 - Tissue or Cellular grafting

All surgical treatments seek to transplant melanocytes (pigment-producing cells) from healthy skin (the donor site) to vitiligo-affected skin.
Surgical treatment for vitiligo can be performed in two main categories:

  • Grafting of melanocyte-rich tissue (tissue grafting) - this procedure can be performed in three different ways, and they are - miniature punch grafting (MPG), Suction Blister Grafting, and split-thickness skin grafting.
  • Grafting of melanocyte cells (cellular grafting) - This procedure is performed in two different ways, and they are - Autologous non-cultured epidermal cell suspension, and cultured melanocyte suspensions.
The dressing is applied to the recipient location for 7 days. The patient is recommended to keep the affected region still. The grafts usually come off in 1 to 2 weeks.

Benefits of the vitiligo surgery

  • It brings back even skin color in certain areas.
  • It pushes you to take preventive measures even after the surgery and take care of your skin.
  • It works on bringing back your lost confidence and works on increasing your self-esteem.
  • It stops the itchiness on your skin.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Vitiligo alone cannot be treated with medication. Although medical professionals advise combining several light therapies with medications to compensate for the loss of melanocytes (pigment cells).

The condition cannot be cured by surgery. Surgery only involves grafting darker skin from another area of your body to replace the lighter skin. Unfortunately, grafting always results in a patch effect.

Yes, laser techniques can significantly reduce the risk of skin cancer. They are, however, more costly and less readily accessible.

In this procedure, the surgeon removes and covers the white areas with healthy patches of pigmented skin.

In this treatment, the doctor utilizes suction to generate blisters on the pigmented skin. He then covers the discolored skin with the tops of these blisters.

Vitiligo cannot be permanently cured. However, the doctors make every effort to stop depigmentation and restore the skin's pigment. Maybe it's best to avoid depigmentation by limiting sun exposure.

Different vitiligo treatments can be useful in instilling positivity in the lives of patients.

Side effects Myths
  • Based on the operation, a partial or complete loss of skin or cell transplant may occur. While a small loss may recover on its own, a bigger loss may necessitate a repeat treatment.
  • Healing at the donor site may take longer than the normal three weeks. In most cases, dressings are all that is required to heal the region.
  • In rare cases, the treated region or donor site may get infected and require antibiotics and dressings for some time to recover.
  • The graft will always leave a "Patch Effect," the region will have a "border," and some color mismatch will be visible.
  • Surgery just "hides" the treated region for cosmetic purposes; it does not heal the condition. New patches of white may appear, or existing ones may grow in size.
By far the biggest stigma attached to this disease is due to the belief, vitiligo is not an infectious or communicable disease. You will not acquire this disease by just being in contact with the person.
The next biggest misconception is related to food choices causing white patches to appear. The most common, though incorrect, is the belief that having milk after having fish causes it. Other beliefs along with this one are incorrect and have a scientific basis.
This is another deep-rooted misconception and dates back to ancient times. Unfortunately in that era, there was a lack of scientific research and backup around the area. Today we know that leprosy is caused by bacteria and vitiligo is a condition.
White patches are more noticeably visible in dark-skinned people and that is the only reason behind this myth. Vitiligo can be developed in all races and ethnicities.
Controlled exposure to sun or intense light along with certain medicines either eaten or applied has been used for the treatment. Unfortunately, people with vitiligo lack the protective mechanism provided by the pigment-producing cells and may end up burning their skin if exposed to the sun for a long. Often sun exposure ends up tanning the area with normal color thereby creating the reverse effect.

Detailed Information For Vitiligo

This is an informed consent document that has been prepared by Dr. Sumit Malhotra to inform you about Vitiligo, the risks, and the alternative treatments.

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