Leucoderma - Symptoms and Treatment

Leucoderma is an area of skin which has lost its colour. There are lots of reason for the loss of pigmentation. Leucoderma does not cause any health problems - it is not contagious or dangerous at all. It is only a cosmetic problem. These patches look ugly, especially in persons with a dark complexion. The condition does not cause any organic harm. Patches of leucoderma can be of variable sizes and shapes. They can occur just about anywhere on the body. In fair individuals, leucoderma often goes unnoticed, but on dark skinned people it can be very visible and cause severe embarrassment. When leucoderma occurs without any preceding disease it is called vitiligo . Sometimes it follows burns and injuries. Some women develop it after the use of stick-on 'bindis' and after wearing plastic foot wear - this loss of colour is due to some chemicals present in the plastics.

Leucoderma also known as vitiligo ,is a distressing skin condition. The word literally means white skin. Vitiligo or Leucoderma is usually first noticed as white patches (depigmentation) on their skin. These patches are more common in sun-exposed areas, including the hands, feet, arms, face, and lips. Other common areas are the armpits and groin, and around the mouth, eyes, nostrils, navel, and genitals. The main causes of leucoderma are said to be excessive mental worry, chronic or acute gastric disorders, impaired hepatic function such as jaundice, worms or other parasites in the alimentary canal, typhoid, a defective perspiratory mechanism, and bum injuries. Heredity is also a well-recognised causative factor.

Causes of Leucoderma

Common Causes of Leucoderma :

• Heredity.
• Jaundice.
• Sunburn.
• Physical Trauma.
• Physical Illness.
• Thyroid Disease or Addison's Disease.
• Other precipitating factors have been identified as due to pressure of tight clothes or certain occupational hazards such as wearing certain rubber hand gloves Use of Bindi etc.
• Ayurveda maintains that leucoderma is caused by some morbidity of the liver which results in a deficiency of pitta.

Symptoms of Leucoderma

Some common Symptoms of Leucoderma :

• Sensitivity to cold.
• General weakness and lassitude.
• Alopecia (Loss of hair).
• Premature graying of hair.
• Pruritis.
• Increased local sunburns.

Treatment of Leucoderma

• Topical Steroid Therapy.
• Topical Psoralen Photochemotherapy.
• Commonest drug used is Psoralen , Melanocyl etc to be use locally followed by sun exposure.
• In few cases oral Antioxidants are also being used.
• Oral Psoralen Photochemotherapy.

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