The psychological impact of the "White Darkness"

Sharing your personal experience with the world is difficult; it requires unyielding courage, resilience, and devil-may-care spirit. And, if the experience is a painful one, such as of your skin, the difficulty and vulnerability level increases further.

Nevertheless, Vitiligo sufferer, Cat Spedding, shared her life-changing experience with the Daily Mail with confidence and utmost sincerity. Bullied for resembling a burn victim, Cat used makeup and tall socks to conceal her white spots along with umpteen insecurities and self-doubt that cultivated in her as a result of Vitiligo-until she saw fearless pictures of Canadian model Winnie Harlow on Instagram. She used steroid creams and went for Vitiligo treatment in order to combat the "the white darkness", however, her real fight with the inner-self continued. With the course of time, the natural brunette managed to curb her insecurities and became an Instagram sensation herself. read http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3934086/Vitiligo-sufferer-reveals-Instagram-gave-confidence-flaunt-patches.html

Though Cat could battle the implications, physical as well as mental, of Vitiligo, there remain a large section of sufferers who are still scuffling with the taboo associated with the disease. The crux of the matter is that society dismisses Vitiligo patients with a prejudice- they are stared at, and subjected to comments behind their back, insult, and separation. Triggering a feeling of alienation, such response is highly demoralizing for patients with Vitiligo. It is imperative to comprehend the associated psychological elements that come along with this disease. So, considering the psychological and social problems faced by patients suffering from Vitiligo can hasten the recovery process post a Vitiligo treatment process.

Holistic Vitiligo Treatment

Vitiligo, a relatively common disorder is characterized by depigmented patches of skin or color loss. It is an autoimmune condition- a particular type of condition that arises when the immune system of the diseased starts attacking the healthy cells. Affecting 1 to 2% of total world's population, tackling with this skin epidemic is a challenge faced by a majority of countries including India. However, with an adept amalgamation of Vitiligo treatment and mental health counseling, this condition can be fought successfully.

Let us walk you through the available options of Vitiligo treatment in India, followed by the importance of counseling sessions.

Vitiligo treatment in India

There is a multitude of Vitiligo treatments in India today that prove useful in restoring the discolored area of the skin. here are a few of them

1. Medications, Surgical Treatments

Medications can help improve the skin's appearance of the patient suffering from Vitiligo to a great extent. Creams or lotions are the first form of medication prescribed by a dermatologist. Using a topical corticosteroid is regarded as beneficial as it controls the inflammation and cause repigmentation respectively. Easy to apply, this cream can treat the discolored areas of the affected skin, however, the change may take few months to appear. In addition, dermatologists also vitiligo patients to use a cream, known as Topical calcipotriene (Dovonex) with corticosteroids or ultraviolet light.

Apart from that, vitiligo experts also assign ointments that comprise tacrolimus or pimecrolimus (calcineurin inhibitors) as a solution to depigmentation caused to small regions including face and neck. With that said, pursuing this treatment may have fewer side effects such as dry skin, rashes, or itching.

Combined drug and light therapy, another highly-preferred treatment option, is becoming quite popular amongst a horde of dermatologists in India today. In this particular type of treatment, a drug, known as psoralen and light therapy is used by the doctors to bring back color to the light patches. This drug intake exposes the patient's skin to Ultraviolet A or ultraviolet B light. As the drug makes the patient's skin highly sensitive to the light, the skin starts turning pink. As a consequence, the affected skin's area starts healing, and normal skin color appears. This treatment plan has to be repeated up to three times a week for six to 12 months. During or after this treatment, the patient can experience side-effects such as over-darkening, sunburn, blistering, itching and a growing risk of cataracts and cancer. one should avoid direct sun rays, and wear UV-protective sunglasses to reduce the risks of the side-effects.

Along with these treatments, dermatologists also prescribe options like light therapy( that  uses narrowband UVB light), laser therapy (that uses excimer laser to treat the affected areas), depigmentation (wherein, medication like monobenzone is  applied on the discolored area) and surgical treatment (like advanced cell transplantation, skin grafting, blister grafting and tattooing) to  battle or slow down the symptoms of Vitiligo.

2. Counseling Sessions:

While opting for aforementioned treatment plans can prove elementary in bringing a substantial change in the appearance of the skin, the odds are that the recovery process may slow down or even stop if the treatment process fails to lay adequate emphasis on lifting the mental health standards of the patient dealing with Vitiligo. Here, the role of the counselor comes into play.

In the counseling session, the psychologist will address the concerns of the patient; he or she will take patient's inhibitions into account. Also, the counselor will help the sufferer to respond to the bias present amongst the society.

Once the patient merges these two distinct lines of treatments, the results are promising and permanent.

Cost of vitiligo treatment in India

Depending on the discolouration of the skin and type of treatment plan designed by the dermatologist and the cost may vary. While the cost of medications varies from 25k to 45k, the cost of advanced cell transplant start from 1.5 lakhs.

Final word

By striking a perfect balance between the treatment options and paying heed to the psychological components attached to the disease, the chances of recovery can be maximized. Not just this, embracing this blended treatment procedure can fuse a sense of confidence, self-reliance, and fortitude amongst patients suffering from Vitiligo. Just the way Cat Spedding has overcome the deterrent implications of Vitiligo, you can too live a life that is free of self-doubt and growing social pressure is a clear possibility, no matter how severe the expansion of the condition is.

In case, you have been dealing with the physical impact along with the immense psychological burden of Vitiligo, feel free to reach MedMonks. At MedMonks, we will help you become aware of the ins and out of the treatment. using a tactical approach, Our experienced team will make all the necessary arrangements and help you get your appointment scheduled with the best medical care institute in Vitiligo treatment available in India's primary hospitals such as  Fortis, Max Super Speciality, Apollo etc. with minimal cost.