Photochemotherapy with ultraviolet A (also known as PUVA)

Type:Uv phototherapy Time:2015-05-16 10:14:04

Treatment

There is no "cure" for vitiligo. Some patches will resolve without treatment, but for those that don't, treatments are available to help to even out your child's skin tone. You can try some at home; others require treatment by a doctor. Just remember that results can vary �� what works for one person may not work for another, and no treatment is likely to be 100% effective at making the spots disappear.

Here are ways you can help:
•Sunscreen. One of the most important things your child can do is wear sunscreen every day to protect against skin cancer. And because vitiligo spots can't tan (they have no melanin), they may burn and scar. Getting a tan on the rest of the body will only highlight white patches even more, especially if a child has light skin.
•Cosmetics. Different kinds of over-the-counter concealers are available. Ask your doctor for recommendations and try different brands until you find the one that works best for your child.
•Corticosteroid creams. Corticosteroids are a type of medication which, when applied to white patches very early in the disease, may help to "repigment" the skin. They reduce the inflammation that causes a loss of pigment so that pigmented cells can return to the skin. Some non-steroidal creams also produce a similar effect.
•Photochemotherapy with ultraviolet A (also known as PUVA). PUVA has two steps: first, a medication called psoralen is either applied to the white patches of skin or taken orally; then, the skin is exposed to ultraviolet light, sometimes from the sun but usually from an artificial source, like a UVA lamp. This turns the affected skin pink, which in time tends to fade to a more natural (often slightly darker) color. There are side effects, which may include severe sunburn and skin blistering. Other side effects may be more serious, so talk to your doctor about the risks involved.
•Narrow-band ultraviolet B (UVB) therapy. This treatment is more widely used than PUVA. It's similar to PUVA, except that the ultraviolet light used is UVB instead of UVA. Also, no psoralen is required beforehand, which eliminates some of the side effects.

Researchers are also looking into a new procedure called a melanocyte transplant. It works by removing a sample of normally pigmented skin and using it to grow new melanocytes in the lab. These can then be transplanted back into the depigmented skin to return some of the missing color.

When deciding which, if any, treatment plan to try, be wary of quick-fix "miracle" remedies you might see advertised. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Always work with your child's doctor to help you decide what's best for your son or daughter.

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