It’s not a secret that some of us may never be completely okay with living with a skin disorder that we didn’t ask for. And, it is absolutely understood why many among us continue being worried about our physical appearance, which has a lot to do with our self-confidence and a positive self-image.
In pursuit of treating vitiligo, many newly diagnosed people with vitiligo directly go for surgical methods or phototherapy to correct even minimized discoloration of the skin. While some of such treatment methods can be painful and expensive, we suggest you try topical methods to improve your vitiligo first. Many topical solutions prescribed for vitiligo are as effective and ineffective as laser or punch-grafting.
Topical medication (with most-widely prescribed Corticosteroids and Immunosuppressant creams) is often prescribed, in which a cream or ointment is applied to affected areas of the skin thinly. The treatment yields the best results if creams or ointments are applied soon after the diagnosis. While many start to see results in a few months, some don’t respond to the treatment at all. Still, using topical solutions for vitiligo has certain advantages over other methods to treat vitiligo.
1. Available in every nook and corner
Let’s begin with the most obvious benefit of trying any topical treatment for vitiligo -> ease-of-access. We all know such ease of access is never the case if you attempt to go through treatment options like Phototherapy or Laser.
Be it Calcipotriene skin cream or Topical Photocil, they are not rare topical solutions you need to search for in dozens of pharmacies. If you have a prescription, you can find such creams easily and start using them as per your dermatologist’s recommendation right after carefully reading the instructions. Additionally, any topical skin cream for vitiligo is not super expensive compared to surgical or even some alternative therapies for vitiligo.
2. It doesn’t hurt using them
Unlike some other surgical methods like laser, skin grafting, or skin-punching, using a cream for improving vitiligo doesn’t hurt at all. Having said that, there are some side-effects, such as itching, redness, swelling in the area, skin irritation, and the feeling of dryness, you should be mindful about and report to your dermatologist who has prescribed any particular topical solution at first.
3. Skipping a day is not that scary
If you are prescribed a topical solution for your vitiligo, doctors would recommend you not to skip any day for maximum efficiency. Still, sometimes we all forget doing things that are extremely important to us. Thankfully, in the case of topical solutions for vitiligo, it’s not the end of the world. This also means that if you ever skip one application, you don’t have to apply double the amount of this crème the next time. Having said that, you shouldn’t purposefully try to “add up” on the missed dose.
4. They don’t interfere with other medications
If you are using oral medications to improve your vitiligo, a topical solution for vitiligo won’t necessarily cause any harm. However, we always recommend using different treatment methods at a different time instead. Or, at least consult what your dermatologist has to say about it.