There are many skin diseases that cause inconvenience to people. Among them is leukoderma. This is a violation of the pigmentation of some areas of the skin. White spots of various sizes appear. To cure the disease, you need to see a doctor to find out the causes of this phenomenon. The reasons and nuances of therapy are described in the article.
Features of the disease
Leukoderma is a disease that occurs due to a change in the amount of the melanin component in the skin responsible for pigmentation. As a result, white spots of various shapes and sizes appear. They also differ in color. Sometimes they have a border. Leukoderma is an ailment with the following features:
- The disease is equally manifested in both women and men.
- It was not found that at some age she arose more often.
- Children also have this disease. Sometimes its symptoms are detected in newborns.
Whenever symptoms of a disease are identified, urgent measures are needed to address them. And only a doctor can prescribe therapy.
Kinds
Leukoderma is a disease that has a number of varieties. It happens:
- Professional and medicinal. Appears when exposed to toxic components.
- Infectious. It develops from infectious diseases. The disease can be caused by lichen (scaly, white, flat, red, multi-colored). There is also leprosy and syphilitic leukoderma.
- Immune Leukoderma of this species appears from autoimmune ailments (scleroderma, vitiligo, lupus erythematosus, halonevus).
- Congenital. It is divided into 3 types - Bloch melanoblastosis - Sulzberger, tuberous sclerosis, albinism.
What are the differences between leukoderma and vitiligo? Vitiligo is a type of leukoderma. With this disease, pigmentation of the dermis is also lost. Vitiligo is one of the little-known ailments. It is believed that it is caused by mental trauma, malfunctions of the endocrine system, transmitted infections, chronic stress, physical trauma. There is evidence of a genetic predisposition. Like leukoderma, vitiligo in each person is treated individually.
Acquisition Period and Forms
Ailment happens:
And in form it happens:
- primary (these are vitiligo and light spots from exposure to toxic components);
- secondary (most diseases of leukoderma are considered a consequence of other ailments).
False leukoderma occurs, in which discolored spots appear on the skin in the area of resolved rashes with dermatosis. Appears due to the fact that due to the action of the sun's rays, the amount of pigment in the skin near the “rash” elements increases, and the places closed from the sun with crusts and scales are less pigmented. With false leukoderma, special treatment is not necessary. Over time, restoration of normal color occurs.
Why does it appear?
What are the causes of leukoderma? A violation in the form of a decrease in pigment on the skin, including up to absolute discoloration, appears due to:
- Diseases - infectious, nervous, autoimmune disorders, hormonal disorders, congenital anomalies.
- The body's reactions to chemical components, including drugs, if a person has intoxication.
Sometimes the cause of the disease can not be determined. But in any case, it manifests itself in the same way as in other cases.
Symptoms
As can be seen from the photo, leukoderma manifests itself in the form of bright spots on the skin. Near them there may be a region in the form of a rim of a lighter shade. The rim may have a dark color compared to the spot, and sometimes it is reddish.
The spots are yellowish, pinkish, white. Color depends on the reasons. Still spots may protrude above the surface or be flat. According to the photo, leukoderma is very noticeable, so people usually try to get rid of it as soon as possible.
The spots differ in size and shape. Various ailments cause discolored spots in specific places. For example, with syphilitic leukoderma, spots appear on the chest, neck, stomach and back.
In other cases, light spots may be in the following areas:
- arms;
- inguinal folds;
- legs;
- armpits;
- face;
- whole body.
No matter where the spots are, spotted leukoderma causes psychological discomfort to a person. But even with discomfort, you should not self-medicate, for quality therapy, you need the help of a doctor.
Who to contact?
If white spots occur, consult a dermatologist. After the examination, the doctor can provide direction to:
- infectious disease specialist;
- neurologist;
- rheumatologist;
- oncologist;
- to the immunologist.
This happens when leukoderma is considered a symptom of internal ailments. Sometimes you need the help of a cosmetologist and a plastic surgeon.
Diagnostics
Diagnosis of bleached spots occurs by finding the cause that led to this. A dermatologist performs an analysis of the symptoms observed in humans. They also determine whether consultation with other specialists is required. Diagnostics is performed as follows:
- The doctor performs a patient survey. It is important for him to know what chemical components he was in contact with, and also whether he was taking medication.
- If there is a suspicion that lichen is considered the primary ailment, the spots are checked with a Wood lamp. Sore spots with directional light absorb it, and healthy ones reflect it.
- When making a diagnosis, the diseases that relatives of a person have are taken into account.
- The patient must donate blood for a biochemical detailed analysis.
How to treat?
The reason affects what the treatment of leukoderma will be. With some ailments, depigmented spots should not be treated, they disappear on their own over time. This applies to stains from:
- burns;
- skin inflammations;
- lichens;
- scleroderma;
- leprosy.
If light spots occur from contact with chemical components, the likelihood of repeated contact with them must be excluded. If the reaction is caused by taking medications, you must stop using them. In many cases, this is enough to remove discolored stains.
Therapeutic method
If the disease is caused by an infection, then treatment should be aimed at eliminating this problem. They choose therapy for immune disorders.
With congenital forms of the disease, adjustment is necessary with therapeutic methods, but this is not able to bring positive results. Light spots are treated with PUVA therapy. With it, UV radiation is used together with the use of a photoactive component.
Medicines
For all patients, the treatment method is prescribed individually. Means are applied externally and internally. Doctors may prescribe:
- phenylalanine analogues;
- tranquilizers;
- glucorticosteroids;
- tyrosine amino acids;
- furocoumarin funds;
- copper, zinc preparations;
- vitamins;
- enzymes for digestion.
What medicines are used?
Use any remedy as prescribed by your doctor. Usually with leukoderma use:
- Anthelmintic. They are prescribed if parasites are found: pinworms, roundworms, helminths. Used "Pirantel", "Dekaris". After the removal of the worms, the skin condition can normalize if additional treatment is not used.
- Immunosuppressants. This group includes Neoral, Cyclophosphamide. A drug of this type affects immunity, inhibiting its work. These medicines have many side effects, they are used only in extreme cases with severe ailments and with the progression of leukoderma.
- Antibiotics. This is Ceftriaxone, Tetracycline. Means are used for a disease arising from an infection.
Locally prescribed ointments with zinc and glucocorticoids: Hydrocortisone, Dexamethasone. These funds accelerate recovery and improve skin condition. Additionally, a complex of vitamins B, A, E, PP, which are needed for the synthesis of melanin, is prescribed. Not always treatment with medications has a positive effect, especially with congenital pathologies.
Physiotherapy
There are physiotherapy procedures to improve the condition of the skin:
- PUVA. This is a method of physiotherapeutic exposure, based on the exposure of the skin to ultraviolet waves. The patient needs to take a special tool inside that enhances the effect of the procedure. With this treatment, the skin condition improves, the foci become less noticeable.
- Ural Federal District. This method is based on exposure to ultraviolet radiation, which is included in the electromagnetic spectrum. Biologically active substances that improve the condition of the skin and immunity are released with light energy.
- Mud wraps. They are used in satisfactory condition. This method is effective when used with medicines.
Physiotherapy methods are not considered effective without the use of medications, since it will not be possible to get rid of the cause of the pathology. But with vitiligo, PCVA helps almost completely eliminate the changed foci.
Operation
Sometimes specialists decide to perform a surgical operation. The following options are likely:
- skin transplant using donor grafts;
- melanocyte transplantation;
- transplantation of the skin taken from the patient.
ethnoscience
Such funds can improve the condition of the skin, but they are not used as the main method of treatment. The following recipes are considered the most effective:
- Vitamin Blend You need to mix in equal amounts of hazelnuts, almonds, prunes and dates. Rinse dried fruits and peel nuts, but do not fry. The components must be crushed in a blender and consumed 3 times a day for 2 tsp. half an hour before a meal. Take the mixture for a month.
- Hypericum tincture. You need 200 g of dry grass, which is filled with vodka (500 ml). The product should be infused for at least 14 days. Then the tincture is filtered and used to wipe painful areas of the skin every day in the morning. The course is at least 1 month.
- Infusion. It is necessary to mix St. John's wort, sage and calendula in equal quantities. Raw materials (2 tbsp. L.) Is poured with boiling water (500 ml). The product should be infused for 2 hours. Then it must be filtered and you can take 150 ml 3 times a day 30 minutes before eating. The course is 6 weeks.
St. John's wort can increase the sensitivity of the skin to the sun. This speeds up the production of melanin.
Prevention
In order to prevent a shortage of melanin in the skin, it is advisable to eat foods enriched with tyrosine. This applies to the amino acid needed for the synthesis of melanin. Experts recommend including dishes with:
- sea fish and seafood;
- seeds - sunflower, pumpkin, sesame and flax;
- cereals - buckwheat, oat, millet;
- nuts - almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, peanuts;
- eggs
- the liver;
- meat;
- legumes;
- vegetable oils;
- dairy products;
- vegetables
- bananas
- dried fruits.
Complications
The consequences arise from the main ailments that caused the pigmentation of the skin. Light spots are not considered the root cause and do not depend on the disease and the likelihood of its complete cure.
The presence of colorless spots is a cosmetic defect and adversely affects the human nervous system. Depression, anxiety may appear. To prevent this, you need to consult a psychiatrist, a neurologist.
Forecast
The result of treatment depends on the reasons that led to it. Some of them can be treated, but there are species that do not disappear, but only progress.
Some types of leukoderma after eliminating the cause disappear on their own. This applies to bright spots from lichen, burns, inflammation. If spots arose from the toxic effects of chemical components, then after elimination of harmful factors, they disappear. Congenital pigment disorders, as well as those caused by autoimmune diseases, are difficult to treat.