Vitiligo Treatment

Vitiligo is a long-term skin condition characterized by the development of white patches on the skin. It occurs when the melanocytes, the cells responsible for producing melanin, are either destroyed or stop functioning.

The color of human skin consists of a brown pigment called melanin. Pale-skinned people produce very little melanin, while darker-skinned people produce higher amounts of melanin. So there are two types of pigmentation. 
When your body produces too much melanin, your skin will darken. Pregnancy, Addison’s disease, and sun exposure are some of the factors that make your skin darker. On the other hand, when your body produces too little melanin, your skin will become lighter, with areas that are lighter than your normal skin color.

It is a disease that affects 1% of the world’s population and affects all races equally, regardless of gender.

In Turkey, salary and living costs are lower than in Europe, and the government subsidizes the health sector. Therefore, vitiligo treatment in Turkey can be done at a much lower cost without sacrificing quality and standard.

You save money and costs, benefit from international quality and avoid long waiting times. In Turkey, you get the appointment for your Vitiligo treatment at short notice, in Germany you have to wait weeks. The short flight time from Europe is another advantage. 

With over 1.5 million medical tourists per year, Turkey is one of the three world leaders in health tourism. The healthcare system in Turkey is strictly monitored and regulated to ensure the best quality and highest standard of treatments. Experienced doctors together with a professional team take care of the patients in a professional and competent way. Your vitiligo treatment will be done by a professional dermatologist using international brands. Therefore, it is safe to get vitiligo treatment in Istanbul.

The first and most common symptom of vitiligo is the sudden whitening of a certain spot on the skin. In some cases, a small white spot can grow over time and reach a size that covers a significant part of the skin.

Vitiligo is not caused by any internal organ disease, so the general health status of many patients is good. Vitiligo is not contagious.

Vitiligo is a treatable disease, but because the exact cause of vitiligo is unknown, treatment results may vary individually. There are different treatment options; some of them take at least 3 months. The choice of treatment should be decided with a dermatologist.

First-line treatments of vitiligo are started with topical creams. There are also herbal Vitiligo creams containing antioxidant substances. Do not apply any treatment that is not approved by the Ministry of Health, even if it is herbal (pill or cream).

Puva therapy is used with controlled ultraviolet light devices. General Puva treatment is done in a closed cabin like a solarium. Before the procedure, the patient is given a photosensitizing drug. The Puva ray activates the cells that give color to the skin, namely melanocytes, in the tissues that have lost color, and supports the migration of cells that give color to the areas with Vitiligo. 

There is a surgical treatment for vitiligo. With a method called the Punch Graft method, recoloring of the area with color loss can be achieved by placing skin taken from another area of the body in the areas where the skin has lost its color.

With this method, the whole body is whitened, and the skin color is equalized. After this procedure, the skin’s color loss is permanent and patients should always be protected from the sun very well. The world-famous singer Michael Jackson used the depigmentation treatment.

Of course, you can and should even combine the pleasant with the useful! Vitiligo treatment doesn’t take a long time. You just make a short break from your discovery tour in Istanbul. After the treatment, you can continue your sightseeing without any worries.

Patients with Vitiligo should protect themselves from skin traumas such as scrubbing, harsh massage, sunburn, should be well protected from the sun and reduce stress so that the color difference between normal skin and skin with vitiligo is not evident.
Apart from these, experts recommend that people who live in sunny areas take adequate amounts of vitamins A, B and E. Consumption of such vitamins ensures that Vitiligo patients are protected from the sun’s rays. It is recommended that you consume plenty of food groups containing these vitamins.

Of course, also when you are back home, you can get in contact with your doctor, who will be ready to answer any questions you may have.