Homeopathic treatment for vitiligo attempts to stop the melanin destruction and acts at the level of immune cells to reverse the damage as far as possible. Homeopathic drugs are approved by local governments across the world, and are cost-effective and easy to use with less reported side effects compared to conventional medication and photo therapy. The impact of treatment may vary from person to person. In fact, many people with vitiligo do not report any sign of improvement and have said that homeopathic treatment made their problem even worse.
Since the dosage and proportion should be individualized, a detailed history is required. Treating vitiligo through homeopathy is a long process and may need one year or even more to cure it completely. The duration and success of treatment solely depend on the extent of white patches and the age of chronic skin disorder.
How does homeopathy treatment for vitiligo work?
Homeopathy attempts to identify the root of the problem (by helping regulate immunity) to restore the standard skin color. The line of treatment considers vitiligo as well as Leucoderma as a local expression of a system disturbance. The initial treatment aims at stopping or slowing down the further destruction of melanocytes.
Once patches are stable, the medicines attempt to stimulate the melanocyte function so that the body can produce normal melanin pigment. After starting the constitutional homeopathy treatment, the skin starts turning pink, turns brown thereafter and starts pigmenting slowly. Big white patches require more days to recover whereas small spots yield faster.
Many vitiligo fighters who have reported the improvement in their skin condition say that once the treatment is completed, it is unlikely that the patches reappear again. Vitiligo around the lips, on the fingertips and toes, and generalized-extensive vitiligo show slow or no improvement. It takes some time to control the activity and balance the immune system.
Most prescribed homeopathic medicines for vitiligo
Homeopathic medicines are prescribed based on the location, duration, and extent of spread of the patches. They also depend on the general well being of the vitiligo fighter and presence of thyroid disorders, or auto-immune diseases.
There are about 30 odd homeopathic medicines, which are often indicated for the treatment of vitiligo. After going through several online research and offline resources, we have compiled a list of medicines which are more commonly used and are considered effective:
- Calcarea Carb (for vitiligo or leucoderma with dark borders)
- Silicea (for vitiligo fighters with loss of confidence)
- Thuja (for vitiligo with warts and polyps)
- Sepia (for vitiligo or leucoderma with increased sweating)
- Arsenic Sulph Flavum (often used as a stock remedy for vitiligo, best-suited for vitiligo fighters who experience itching in varied parts of the body)
- Arsenic Album (for vitiligo in anxious personalities)
- Arsenicum Sulfuratum Flavum (for vitiligo fighters with discoloration of the skin in pale or white blotches)
- Causticum 30 (for vitiligo from burns)
- Arsenic Sulph Flavum Trituration Tablet 6X (for vitiligo at the mucocutaneous junction)
- Staphysagria 30 (for vitiligo at the tip of the penis)
- Kali Carbonicum (to tackle anxiety in vitiligo)
- Borax 30 (for white skin with red patches)
- Psoralea Coryl. 3X (For vitiligo, used externally in the form of oil)
Common secondary constitutional homeopathic remedies that are prescribed along with medicine mentioned above are:
- Sulphur
- Nitricum Acidum
- Carcinosin
- Hydrocotyle Asiatica
- Natrum Muriaticum
- Phosphorus
- Tuberculinum 200
Things to do to yield best results
The scope of homeopathic treatment extends beyond the physical symptoms of vitiligo, adopting a holistic approach. Hence, it also addresses the underlying mental stress and depression that are observed in many vitiligo cases. To make the most of the treatment plan:
- Expose the affected areas to the early morning sun for 20-30 minutes on daily basis.
- Use a mild soap while bathing and avoid using any cosmetic applications on the skin.
- Ensure that your diet contains enough iron.
- Ditch sour foods, citrus fruits, tamarind, red meat, fish, lobsters, crabs, and prawns.
- Avoid synthetic clothes (fibers made by humans with the chemical).
- Restrict consuming Steroids.
- Avoid stress to stop the vitiligo spread.
- Keep a positive attitude. Maintain a pleasant atmosphere in the house.
Please avoid self-medication with any of the medicines mentioned above. Always consult an expert before starting with a treatment.
