Leucoderma - Info on Leucoderma Symptom, Causes & Treatment

Leucoderma is curable: Leucoderma is an area of skin which has lost its colour. When it occurs without any sequencing disease it is called vitiligo. Sometimes it follows burns and injuries. Few women develop it after- the use of stick-on . 'bindis' and after wearing plastic foot-wearthis loss of colour is because of some chemicals proffer in the plastics.

Patches of leucoderma can be of variable sizes and shapes. They can occur just about anywhere on the body. In fair individuals, leucoderma usually goes ignored, but on dark skinned people it can be very visible and cause severe embarrassment. Leucoderma does not cause any health complications - if is not contagious or dangerous at all. It is only a cosmetic problem.

There are a number of misapprehensions regarding the availability of treatment for leucoderma. There is actually plenty of hope for vitiligo patients. The results with treatment are good. They are splendid if the treatment is taken early, but the patches of leucoderma which occur in areas of the skin which are naturally hairless, like the palms and soles, take long to improve.

Psoralensare the mainstay of treatment. These are nothing but purged form of babchi - the age old remedy. Pigmentation occurs with the help of sunlight. Both oral medicines and ointment form are available. A single small patch can be camouflaged using cosmetics. If the patches are comprehensive and generalised, then it would be easier to get rid of the small amount of natural pigment present, so as to get a unifonn colour for the whole body.

What are the causes of Leucoderma ?

The main causes of leucoderma are :

1) Excessive mental worry,

2) Chronic or acute gastric disorder,

3) Impaired hepatic function such as jaundice, worms or other parasites in the alimentary canal, typhoid, a defective perspiratory mechanism.

4) Burn injuries

5) Heredity is also a well-recognized causative factors.

Symptoms of Leucoderma

Small white spot, which later develops into patches. Mainly, no other symptoms can be noted except whiteness of the skin. These patches are cadaverous in the beginning, but become whiter and whiter as time passes by because of loss of pigment. As the spot enlarge they commingle into each other and in course of time form a very broad patch. In some cases most of the skin of the body may be covered by with white patches. It may cause itching occassionally, due to exposure to the sun or coming in contact with chemicals, which shows easy friability and susceptibility of the skin.

Treatment of Leucoderma

Treatment is prescribed as per doctor's prescription including internal medicines, external applications, radiation therapy, photosensitivity therapy, depigmentation therapy with bleachers and surgery. All have their own side-effects and limitations.

Treatment includes following

Allopathy - Commonest drug used is Psoralen, Melanocyl etc to be use parochially followed by sun exposure. In few cases oral Antioxidants are also being used. The newest application of Placentex is also used.UltraViolet Rays exposure or PUVA.

Ayurveda- Local application of Babchi Oil over the depigmented areas, Use of Coper utensils.

Others- Applying Coloured Dyes, Silver Nitrate etc . Latest being permanent Colouring.
Surgical measures- Grafting etc.

Homoeopathy- Homoeopathy system is a good method to treat it. Since it offers a comprehensive treatment as it goes to the root of the problem by helping build up immunity and gradually restores the pigmented patches back to the normal skin colour

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