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SEGMENTAL VITILIGO:
"Things to know" in its Effective Management.
"Things to know" in its Effective Management.
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What is "Segmental Vitiligo"? |
We all are aware about, vitiligo as a skin discoloration disorder caused due to loss of melanocytes or pigment cells. Segmental vitiligo is a special type of vitiligo in which the effects of discoloration is seen only in one-side or segment of the body.
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What are the salient features of Segmental Vitiligo? |
It spreads in a faster rate |
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It stabilizes on its own irrespective of treatment taken |
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Usually starts in the younger age |
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It gives incomplete response to medicines |
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The hair colour of the affected area and its |
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surroundings turns to white |
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What makes medical treatment a failure in segmental vitiligo? |
Any medical treatment gives result based on presence of cell reservoir in the patch. However in segmental vitiligo the cell damage is severe and there will not be any significant cell reservoir(proved by the presence of white hairs).The medical management will only work in very rare cases, even if treatment is taken at the initial stage.
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What are the consequences of continuous ineffective treatment? |
Patients tend to continue medical management, especially the traditional medicines due to lack of awareness of availability of an effective treatment, non cultured epidermal suspension transplantation, which is also a treatment of choice in segmental vitiligo. If someone continues these medicines which try to stimulate the cell reservoir(in case of segmental vitiligo it is non existent),for more than 6 months,they end up being having treatment modified vitiligo.
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What is a modified vitiligo? |
The situation created by the repeated use of medicines which irritates the skin. There will be texture mismatch due to photosclerosis or/and burn scars. Some patient will have colour mismatch due to incomplete spread of pigment from the periphery or border.
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What are the consequences of modified vitiligo? |
Apart from colour and texture mismatch as a direct side effects, in the later stages, even if the best treatment option is taken there will be colour & texture mismatch unlike treating a naive vitiligo (not much treated with such medicines) where one can get perfect colour and texture match.
Outcome of treatment is below par due to lasting damages
caused due to continued inappropriate treatments.
caused due to continued inappropriate treatments.
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What is the best treatment of choice for this condition? |
A procedure called non-cultured epidermal suspension transplantation is considered as treatment of choice and even first line of treatment in segmental vitiligo. In this procedure patients own skin cells from different site is harvested and transplanted on to white patches. This advanced procedure achieves perfect colour and texture match,if treated in a right time and at a centre which has expertise in treating various types of patches.
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What is right time? |
This procedure is done when the patch is stable and- not progressing in last 6 months to 1 year.
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Where can I get centre of excellence with experienced specialist treating such segmental vitiligo? |
Vitiligo Holla-Melanosite, Centre of excellence in vitiligo. This is headed by Dr.Anantha Prasad Holla, who is an eminent vitiligo specialist and a pioneer in modified non-cultured epidermal suspension transplantation. He has treated more than 3500 vitiligo patches, and more than 900 patches of segmental vitiligo with this procedure. The centres are at present mainly based in New Delhi and Bengaluru, India with satellite clinics planned in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Cochin in near future.
" Naive Vitiligo " showing good response to non cultured
epidermal suspension transplantation.
epidermal suspension transplantation.
Despite Long lasting damage caused by continued inappropriate
treatments done previously -Patches showed near normal result.
treatments done previously -Patches showed near normal result.