LEUCODERMA

INTRODUCTION

Modern lifestyle diseases often have to do with immune system issues. While skin conditions are the lesser percentage of the type of health problems that can arise, Leucoderma is a much more unknown condition that many suffer from privately. It can be quite the source of shame, embarrassment, and social anxiety as the characteristic white patches look ‘unflattering’ to the eye. However, there is much more to this skin condition than it might seem. 

It is essential to understand the nature of Leucoderma and its symptoms to enable yourself to identify whether your white patches are a result of Leucoderma or not. This will further help you prioritize what your body’s requirements are and what your personal needs are and form the perfect treatment plan for yourself!

LEUCODERMA

So what is Leucoderma? Leucoderma meaning can be defined as a disease that is characterized by a loss of color on the skin. It can occur at any age, where there are white patches in different parts of the body caused by the loss of pigment. Leucoderma causes the loss of melanin on your skin that leads to whitening. The condition can range in severity, having some patches or covering most parts of the body. The white patches of skin are most commonly observed in areas that are most exposed to sunlight.

Leucoderma symptoms often appear around adolescence and can go up to adulthood. It is very unlikely that an adult of above 40 years of age develops Leucoderma as it occurs mostly during the early stages of life. 

CAUSES OF LEUCODERMA

• Auto-immune disorders
  Leucoderma causes include Thyroid, Eczema, Psoriasis, and other auto-immune disorders that have been observed to create white patches on the skin. The involvement of the immune system either working insufficiently or going on overdrive can cause such disorders that further do not help in fixing the after-effects of the skin disorders. Some effects stay.

• Burns
  Accidental burns like thermal burns, cuts, ulcers, etc., can be reasons why patches of your skin have lost their pigmentation. Such temperature-related or depth-related accidents can intensely affect the skin cells that lie underneath and carry pigmentation and working skin cells. 

• Congenital abnormalities
  These kinds of abnormalities include partial albinism, piebaldism, and even Waardenburg syndrome. These syndromes involve whitening of the skin, and Leucoderma could be a symptom for their diagnosis. If you have either of the three congenital abnormalities, there are higher chances that your white patches are a sign of Leucoderma.

• Immunological
  Immunological conditions like Halo mole, melanoma Leucoderma, vitiligo, etc., can also cause Leucoderma. Conditions like the Halo mole might return back to normal, but if it does not, it can be classified as Leucoderma. 

• Medications
  Strong medications like EDFR inhibitors and intralesional steroid injections can cause Leucoderma. Try to stay away from them, and if professionally recommended, understand their side effects and weigh out the pros and cons well.

• Chemicals
  Chemical burns can cause depigmentation of the skin as it can be a severe accident. Chemicals like butyl-phenol, when in contact with skin cause trigger the appearance of such white patches and eventually other symptoms of Leucoderma.

TYPES OF LEUCODERMA

• Segmental
  This type of Leucoderma exists for a few years. The symptoms begin at an early stage of life where it affects only one side or a particular segment of the individual’s body. It is an uncommon form, where it never crosses the midline of the body.

• Non-segmental
  This type of Leucoderma is a life-long condition you must deal with. It first begins with sudden discoloration patches appearing on different parts of your body. They go through cycles of pigment loss and expand further and further on your body throughout your life.

OTHER SYMPTOMS

Leucoderma has other symptoms where besides the milky white patches of skin, the individual also encounters:

1. The tissues that form a line on the inside of the mouth may lose their color.
2. The color of your retina might change
3. Your hair might begin greying prematurely. This includes your eyelashes, beard, eyebrows, hair, etc.

WHAT COMPLICATIONS MIGHT ARISE?

Leucoderma is the kind of disease that does not make your body a breeding ground for other viruses or fungi to exist in. However, it is a side-effect for many other treatment-required disorders and conditions.

Several cases have been found where an individual with Leucoderma had a loss of hearing. The connection is still unclear. However, it is a possibility you must take precautions against. 

The affected areas of your skin are highly sensitive to sunlight. Sunburns might be a common recurring theme in your life if the proper precautions to avoid them are not taken.

You may also experience changes in your eyesight. This varies from individual to individual experience. Tear formation can also be quite frequent, but it is nothing to worry too much about. It can be controlled to a certain degree.

WHAT PRECAUTIONS CAN I TAKE?

• Sunscreen
  People suffering from Leucoderma have white patches that lack melanin. Melanin helps protect our skin from sunlight and its harmful components like UV rays. If appropriate measures like applying sunscreen thoroughly, wearing shades, or covering up your marks with clothes are not taken, you could suffer from sunburns very easily.

• Over the counter creams
  Some people with Leucoderma complain about itching tendencies. This can be due to irritated skin lesions, but also a habit. In order to stop the unhealthy habit, over the counter creams that help in easing pain and providing itch relief can be used. The mode of application should be direct.

• Eye visitations
  People diagnosed with Leucoderma must guard themselves against any vision issues as it is a possibility to develop complications in the future. Regular eye checkups and wearing glasses whenever possible should be maintained. A good sleep schedule will help your body repair on time and not need to delay recovery processes. It may also end up developing issues if you do not have the proper lifestyle and medical assistance required.

• ENT advisor
  Leucoderma can also cause issues with hearing. An ENT specialist must be made a personal doctor who can carry out regular check-ups and coordinate with a dermatologist. Professional advice should be followed strictly to keep Leucoderma strictly a skin condition you have to deal with.

TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR LEUCODERMA

After understanding the nature of this condition, you must be wondering is Leucoderma curable? There is no fixed Leucoderma treatment that exists. However, there are, still, various treatment routes you can take, which further divide into routines you can follow for your skin’s requirements. These can be home remedies that have Ayurvedic backings to them or scientific inventions utilized to work on your Leucoderma the way you want.

SCIENTIFIC TREATMENT OPTIONS 

• Medications
  According to your skin condition and needs, your doctor might advise topical creams that can help your skin get any inflammation under control. However, oral pills can also be recommended to give your immune system a boost. These can also include Vitamin C supplements that aid your immune system. Vitamin D, B6, even Zinc intake can help in triggering T-cells that help your body to respond to any potential infections or sunburns immediately. Topic corticosteroids may also be recommended for newly formed white patches. These can be used on the face; however, ultra-potent steroids are better reserved for patches on your body. However, corticosteroids have been observed to be efficient in only a little over half the patients that used them.

• Light Therapy
  Light therapy is also known as phototherapy. It can help in restoring pigmentation in affected areas of your skin. For treating Leucoderma, Narrow-band UVB phototherapy and PUVA therapy are two options that can be chosen if specific skin requirements are not present. It uses the logic where UVB rays are projected onto the skin affected by Leucoderma with the aim to increase the generation of melanocytes. This would prevent new white patches from forming. Sixty-three percent of the patients who utilized this form of therapy have reportedly regained 75 percent of their skin pigmentation from a year of therapy. There is, however, a stronger effect on skin cells via PUVA therapy despite the similarities between the two options mentioned. The treatment frequency can be 2-3 times weekly. However, it depends on your requirements. Each session lasts for around 5 to 10 minutes only! It is also safe for children and pregnant women to go through.

• Surgery
  If you want the white patches on your skin to disappear or reduce drastically, there are many surgery options available. They all depend on what surgery technique would be useful for which affected areas once they are identified as resistant areas or residual lesions. It also depends on the extent of the lesions, the placement of the lesions on your body, and more. One of the types of methods that can be employed is known as the blister grafting method. They can help in removing the pigmented skin using skin and blister grafting methods. This pigmented skin can then be attached to the Leucoderma affected areas. There are other surgery options like suction blister grafting, think split-thickness skin grating, etc. There have been many scientific, medical advances done in this field where epidermal cell suspensions and cultured melanocyte suspensions have also been introduced as surgery options.

HOMEOPATHIC ROUTE FOR LEUCODERMA

Many people prefer homeopathy. Each dose of medication is different for different people as they are tailored to your specific needs and body type. Homeopathy promises natural solutions without any side effects that pharmacy drugs might result in. 

Consider contacting a homeopathic professional who can guide you through the process of finding homeopathic medicines that help your unique body activate melanocytes as effectively as possible. This would further add to a domino effect where melanin formation is stimulated, and pigmentation on your skin can return. 

There are other options as well, such as Arsenic Album, silica 30, Sepia, and Nitric Acid 30. Calcarea Card is another medicine that is used when patches are milky white in color as it can denote weakness of bones. It is important for you to consult a homeopathy medicine professional so that they can make medicines fit for you and your unique circumstances.

HOME REMEDIES FOR LEUCODERMA

• Natural paste of Lemon and Sweet Basil
  Many Ayurvedic practitioners recommend making a paste out of sweet basil leaves and lemons. It can help in melanin production and also bring relief in cases of itching and pain. Half a lemon squeezed into a paste of basil leaves can be applied in a day thrice. After allowing it to dry up completely, you can wash it off. You can do this routine twice a day, once before taking a bath too!

• Turmeric and Mustard Oil
  Leucoderma is an autoimmune disease. In order to work on Leucoderma, it is important to work on your immune system. Turmeric and mustard oil happen to be very good immunity boosters and can also re-pigment your skin. Curcumin, an ingredient found in turmeric, provides relieving effects due to its antioxidant nature.  Mixing a few teaspoons of turmeric powder into a 150ml bottle of mustard oil can be stored in a jar. It can be boiled until it has been reduced to a thick substance. Apply this to your white patches twice a day.

• Healthy Diet
  Your diet can go a long way in boosting your immune system. This includes taking food that has photochemical and antioxidants. Leafy vegetables, root vegetables, bananas, and apples are very good to incorporate into your diet.
  Of course, there are limitations as well. There have been recorded cases in the past where patients have an adverse reaction to food that has depigmenting agents. You may not face it yourself, but the possibility is still present. Other patients vouch against food such as blueberries, coffee, grapes, pickles, tomatoes, etc.

• Neem Leaves
  Neem leaves have been claimed to heal the underlying causes of Leucoderma. Taking a few neem leaves and blending them with water can help extract all of its properties in a juice-manner. Drinking one glass of it every day can help immensely with your journey. You can also mix it with honey if you cannot handle the plain neem juice’s taste.

• No alcohol
  Alcoholic drinks can compromise your body’s immune system to a great extent. Suppose your immune system does not get the nutrients it needs and becomes dehydrated due to alcohol intake. In that case, your skin condition won’t improve despite the usage of medicines, creams, homeopathic medication, etc.

• Vitamin supplements
  There are many vitamins you can account for when changing your diet to fit your body’s needs better. Some of these may not be directly related to Leucoderma as a treatment. However, people have vouched for intaking Vitamin C, D, B-12, ginkgo biloba, amino acids, etc.

• Mineral intake
  Minerals like copper, iron, and zinc can be helpful in preventing the recurrence of Leucoderma. You can drink water and hydrate yourself from a copper cup. Cast-iron skillets can be used to cook food as well. Zinc supplements can also take you a long way.

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LEUCODERMA AND VITILIGO?

Vitiligo and Leucoderma are very similar in terms of their internal workings and symptoms. Both result in white patches that may spread across the person’s skin due to the destruction of melanocytes. 

However, the critical Leucoderma and vitiligo difference is that vitiligo can be a hereditary condition where genetics play a huge role in causing you to have this condition. On the other hand, Leucoderma shows symptoms similar to vitiligo due to the destruction of melanocytes caused by an accident, chemical burn, cut, or a tear. 

Medications provided to patients with Leucoderma and patients with vitiligo are also different. There can be overlaps in medications; however, surgeries and stronger medications are dictated by the distinctive features of the two conditions: Leucoderma being closely bound on the skin, unlike vitiligo, vitiligo being caused by autoimmune diseases, etc.

CONCLUSION

Leucoderma can be a pretty off-putting skin condition to deal with. The media often talks about flaunting even skin tones, and such beauty standards can negatively impact individuals with Leucoderma. Putting off the problem to avoid dealing with the psychological pain caused by the condition would only accelerate it to be worse and harder to be controlled. 

Seeking family support and a professional’s help can make you understand the different treatment options that are readily available and can work for you. If your priority is to get rid of your white patches, you can talk to your doctor about the ways you can go to take care of them. If you want to work on your skin condition by boosting your immune system, medications can be given for that as well.

It is important to educate yourself on your skin condition as it is not limited to the pigment of your skin alone, as mentioned above. Being informed can help you prevent Leucoderma from taking over other parts of your life that you can avoid, and reading this article is the first step towards that goal!