Imagine waking up one day and noticing small white color patches on your skin. And this patches gradually start spreading. This is what people with Vitiligo on skin experience. This condition is not just about appearance—it impacts confidence, emotions, and social interactions.Even though it is not life-threatening, most of the people are seeking treatment for Vitiligo white patches. Skin care and regaining skin pigmentation has become a primary concern of the people.

Importance of Vitiligo Treatment in Bangalore

Bangalore is a busy metropolitan city, known for its fast-paced lifestyle, corporate culture, and increasing awareness about healthcare. With exposure to pollution, high-stress levels, and direct rays from the sun, many people in Bangalore are prone to skin-related conditions. As a city that embraces advanced medical technology, Bangalore has become a hub for some of the best vitiligo treatment centers in India.

As the social and professional demand increases, people in Bangalore are highly conscious of their appearance. As a result, they are willing to invest in effective vitiligo treatments, including medical therapies, phototherapy, and surgical interventions. With increasing accessibility to world-class dermatology clinics, Bangalore residents now have top-notch vitiligo treatment options that help them regain confidence and lead a normal life. In this article we are going to know more about vitiligo, its causes, symptoms and care.

What is Vitiligo (White Patches)?

Vitiligo, also known as Leucoderma, is a chronic autoimmune skin condition, where white patchesstartdeveloping in the skin. This is due to the loss of melanin, the pigment responsible for skin color. It occurs when melanocytes, the pigment-producing cells, stop functioning or are destroyed by the immune system. This leads to Vitiligo white spots appearing on different parts of the body, including the face, hands, and legs.

Causes of Vitiligo (Leucoderma / White Patches)

There are several factors contribute to the causes of white patches on skin, including:

Emotional Stress: Anxiety and stress can contribute to the onset or worsening of Vitiligo causes.

Genetics: Vitiligo can be hereditary. This condition may pass from generation to generation, as the family history of vitiligo increases the risk.Research has also shown that genetics plays a role in the development of vitiligo.

Autoimmune Disorders: This can be a disorder of the immune system. The body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own melanocytes leading to vitiligo.

Environmental Triggers: Prolonged sun exposure, chemical exposure, or skin trauma can lead to this condition.

Types of Vitiligo

Vitiligo is classified into different types based on the distribution of patches:

Generalized Vitiligo: The most common type, affecting multiple body parts.
Segmental Vitiligo: Occurs on one side of the body and often stabilizes after a few years.
Mucosal Vitiligo: Affects mucous membranes like lips and genital areas.
Focal Vitiligo: Limited to specific small areas.
Trichrome Vitiligo: Shows three different skin shades within a single patch.
Universal Vitiligo: Extensive loss of pigment across the body.
Acrofacial Vitiligo: Affects fingers, toes, and facial areas like around the eyes and mouth.

Symptoms & Diagnosis

Symptoms of White Patches / Vitiligo

Vitiligo early symptoms include:

Appearance of patches on the skin, which appears first on hand or face area and spread to other parts of the body
Whitening or loss of pigment in hair, including eyebrows and eyelashes.
Loss of color in the inner mouth lining or eyes.

How is Vitiligo Diagnosed?

To confirm Vitiligo starting symptoms, doctors may use:

Physical Examination: A dermatologist examines the patches. They will visually inspect and examine the affected area, check for any changes in skin texture and note the location and distribution of patches.
Wood’s Lamp Test: This is a UV light test that highlights pigment loss.The UV light causes the affected skin area to fluoresce, making it easier to see the extend of pigmentation loss. This will also differentiate vitiligo form other skin conditions that cause similar symptoms.
Blood Tests: Blood test will help to identify autoimmune conditions such as thyroid or diabetes. It can also help find out other conditions that may have similar symptoms, such as skin infections or nutritional deficiencies.

Vitiligo (White Patches) Treatment Options

The best treatment for vitiligo in India depends on the severity and individual response. Treatments include:

Medical Treatments

Below given are the treatments provided at our clinic:

Warning: Attempting self- treatment can lead to ineffective treatment, or permanent damage. We recommend to consult a specialist for treatment. Please note that we will not assume responsibility for any adverse effects or complications resulting from self-treatment.

Medications to Soothe Inflammation: There are medications that aim to reduce inflammation and immune attacks on melanocytes on skin. They promote a more favorable environment for repigmentation. These medications are done at the initial stage
Immune System Modulators: These medications aim to regulate autoimmune responses, reducing the immune system’s attack on melanocytes.
Topical Steroids: During the initial phase topical steroids are used to stop spreading of the disease. This can be creams, ointments or lotions. This is applied on the affected area and helps inrepigmenting small patches gradually.
Vitamin D Analogues:These are used alone or in combination with steroids. We have to use these medicines continuously for a particular period of time to control the patches.
Calcineurin Inhibitors:Calcineurin Inhibitorsare used for sensitive areas like the face.This medication is used for a long period and has less side effects. This can also be applied on repigmented area to avoid recurrence of the disease.
Anti-oxidants:This is a mixture of vitamins and minerals, which are used on a daily basis. This gives an antioxidant effect in the applied area.
Growth Factors: A customized blend of growth factors, used in conjunction with other treatments, to enhance their effectiveness. This can be administered at home or in the clinic.
Phototherapy (NB-UVB):

Phototherapy, also known as light therapy, is a common treatment for vitiligo. This involves exposure to specific wavelength of light to stimulate skin and promote repigmentation.

Most of the patients have this doubt that:“Doesphototherapy cause skin cancer?” The answer is NO. We use Narrow Band UV B rays either in small dose or calculated duration. This will not affect the system inversely. We replace NBUVB emitting tubes after 200 hours of usage, as this helps in effective outcome.

Whole-body NBUVB: Whole-body Narrowband Ultraviolet B (NB-UVB)involves exposure to a specific wavelength of ultraviolet B (UVB) light, which is emitted by a specialized light machine.It is applicable for extensive vitiligo and is used to achieveimmunomodulation/immunosuppression and cell stimulation. The concurrent medicines are used in such a way that prevents hardening of the skin, as hardening cause slowness. This option is given to patients who are near to the clinic or has such facility near to their place.

Benefits

Improved skin clearance
Reduced inflammation
Increased vitamin D level

Handheld NBUVB: This is provided to patients who are far away from the clinic and don’t have Whole-body NBUVB near them. Machines are provided to the patients by giving proper training and monitoring. Dosage of the medicine will be increased or decreased as per the decision of the specialist and this will be conveyed to the patient. We won’t encourage buying low quality machine from outside.

Benefits

Portability
Targeted treatment
Cost-effective

Excimer Light/Targeted Phototherapy:This is a non-invasive treatment that uses a specific wavelength of ultraviolet (UV) light to target and treat skin conditions. This is a targeted version of NBUVB. The light is applied directly to the affected area, minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy skin. This is done alone or in combination with Whole-body NBUVB. This targeted treatment also reduces the risk of side effects, such as skin redness or burning, associated with traditional phototherapy.

Benefits

Effective for localized treatment
Minimizes side effects
Short time treatment

Sun Exposure: Patients who have minimal vitiligo or who cannot afford whole body NBUVB, will undergo this therapy. This won’t be as effective as NVBUB therapy.

Types of Sun Exposure includes:

1. Natural sun exposure: Spending time outdoors, especially during peak sun hours (10am-4pm), can provide beneficial UV radiation.

2. UVB phototherapy: This involves controlled exposure to UVB light, typically in a medical setting, to stimulate repigmentation.

Warning: Consult a specialist before undergoing treatment. Treatment protocol is solely discreated by doctor. It will vary from patient to patient. Please note that we will not assume responsibility for any adverse effects or complications resulting from self-treatment.

Interventions

Below given are the treatments provided at our clinic

Micro-needling: This is a minimally invasive procedurefor vitiligo treatment. Micro needles are used to create micro-injuries in the skin. This stimulates the body’s natural healing process, promoting collagen production, and potentially repigmentation in vitiligo.

Microneedling can stimulate the migration of melanocytes from the hair follicles to the surrounding skin, promoting repigmentation. It stimulates collagen production, which can help improve skin texture and tone.

Benefits

Less painful
Quick recovery
Can be combined with other treatments

Growth Factor Enhanced Microneedling (GEM): This is an advanced treatment that combines microneedling with growth factors to enhance skin rejuvenation and repigmentation.This involves creating micro-injuries in the skin, followed by the application of growth factors to stimulate collagen production, cell growth, and repigmentation.

Benefits:

Enhanced collagen production
Improved repigmentation
Customizable
Minimally invasive

Skin Cell and Stem Cell Suspension Enhanced Micro-needling (SSTEM):This is an innovative treatment that combines microneedling with skin cell and stem cell suspension to enhance skin rejuvenation. Itinvolves using microneedling to create micro-injuries in the skin, followed by the application of a suspension containing skin cells and stem cells. This stimulates collagen production, and cell growth.

Benefits

Enhanced collagen production
Improved repigmentation
Minimally invasive

Collagen Remodelling Microneedling with or without radio frequency (CRM): CRM involves using microneedling to create micro-injuries in the skin, which stimulates collagen production and tissue remodelling. Radio frequency (RF) energy can be added to enhance the treatment’s effectiveness.The combination of microneedling and RF energy stimulates collagen remodelling (body breaks down and rebuilds collagen), improving skin texture and reducing fine lines and wrinkles.

Warning: Attempting self- treatment can lead to ineffective treatment, or permanent damage. We strongly advise consulting a qualified specialist for accurate diagnosis, and personalized treatment. Please note that we will not assume responsibility for any adverse effects or complications resulting from self-treatment.

Surgical Treatments

Below given are the treatments provided at our clinic

Non-Cultured Epidermal Suspension Transplantation (NEST): We use a cell transplantation method developed by Dr. Holla, offering complete repigmentation and natural color and texture match for stable vitiligo patches. This two-step procedure involves taking an ultra-thin skin graft, which is then stored and processed to create a cell suspension. The suspension is transplanted to the recipient area using a modified dressing method, promoting effective growth and migration of cells. With this method, we’ve successfully treated large areas (up to 3000 sq cm) in a single session and areas which are difficult-to-treat, including fingers, hands, feet, joints, and sensitive areas, with minimal scarring and transient hyperpigmentation.

Non-Cultured Follicular Suspension Transplantation (FoST): This treatment involvesusing a single-step cell separation processby getting 50-100 hair follicles from the scalp. While it’s not suitable for large areas due to time constraints, it offers a higher chance of stem cell presence and immunomodulation (regulation of the immune system’s response to prevent or treat diseases), making it a promising treatment option.This innovative cell transplantation method eliminates the need for skin grafts.

Combined Cell Suspension Transplantation (FEST): This is a medical procedure that combines the benefits of follicular and epidermal cell suspension transplantation to treat vitiligo. It is the brain child of Dr. Holla.He started this technique to combine the advantages of non-cultured epidermal suspension transplantation and non-cultured follicular cell suspension transplantation.FEST can also improve skin texture and tone, giving the skin a more natural appearance.Benefits include improved repigmentation rates, faster treatment, and less pain.

Artificial Reservoir Technique (ART): ART involves creating an artificial reservoir of melanocytes in the affected area, which helps to repigment the skin.Dr. Holla invented the Artificial Reservoir Technique (ART) in 2014 to improve cell transplantation success rates, especially in areas prone to cell detachment. The patient’s own skin is used as a dressing to hold cells in place. Cells are injected into controlled blisters created using a cryo pen or gun, forming artificial reservoirs. ART is effective for treating vitiligo patches on the lip, genital area, fingertips, and small, resistant patches.

Touch Up Technique: This is done 6 months after the initial procedure. In some cases where some resistant islands of white patches remain after successful cell transplantation. In these situations, touch up technique is used.

Trypsin Vs Recombinant Protease: We use a modified non-cultured epidermal suspension transplantation procedure with recombinant reagents, which are safer and more reliable than conventional animal-derived reagents. Although costlier, our expertise and specialized protocol ensure optimal results with this safer alternative.

Cold Method Vs Warm Method: Conventional cell transplantation uses warm trypsinization, which is faster but harsher, resulting in lower viable cell yield and potential cell damage. In contrast, our cold trypsinization method offers a slower and gentler cell separation process, achieving higher viable cell yield, minimal cell damage, and reduced risk of aggravating vitiligo.

Note: People also look for other treatments like Skin grafting and Micro grafting. These are old techniques and will have more side effectslike skin discoloration, permanent scarring or infection. Because of this we don’t recommend or provide this treatment.

Skin Grafting: Skin grafting is a surgical procedure that involves transplanting healthy skin from one part of the body to another area affected by vitiligo. This is an old procedure and we don’t recommend it, as there is little result.
Micrografting: It is a minimally invasive surgical procedure, which involves transplanting small grafts of healthy skin, from a donor site to the affected area. As this is not suitable for all skin type and chances of infection is high, we don’t recommend this procedure to patients.

Consult a specialist before undergoing treatment. Treatment protocol is solely discreated by doctor as it varies from patient to patient. Please note that we will not assume responsibility for any adverse effects or complications resulting from self-treatment.

Cosmetic Solutions

Below given are the treatments provided at our clinic

Camouflage Therapy: Camouflage therapy uses medical makeup to temporarily cover up vitiligo patches, helping to improve appearance and boost self-confidence. This is a non-invasive and pain-free solution that can be customized to match individual skin tones. This is a medical makeup for temporary coverage.However, there are problems in this process, as we cannot expect perfect color match. And this is not a solution for sudden appearance change. We have to plan accordingly to make this look, which is time consuming.

Note: People also look for other treatments like tattooing or depigmentation therapy. These techniques may lead to allergy, infection or even hepatitis. Because of this we don’t recommend or provide this treatment.

Tattooing for Pigment Restoration: Tattooing for pigment restoration involves using permanent makeup techniques to implant pigment into the skin, creating a natural-looking color. This method is typically used for small, localized areas of vitiligo, such as the lips or eyebrows. But this method is not recommended to everyone as it may cause allergy, infection or even hepatitis. Using ink and needle on the body has high risk. Used needles may trigger autoimmune diseases or HIV. So, this is not suggested by our specialists.
Depigmentation Therapy: Depigmentation therapy is a treatment option for extensive vitiligo cases, where the condition covers a large area of the body. This therapy involves using a medication to lighten the surrounding skin, creating a more even skin tone.Famous celebrities, including Michael Jackson, did undergo this therapy. While it doesn’t restore pigment, it can help to reduce the appearance of vitiligo patches.But we don’trecommend this treatment to everyone, as it has many side effects like skin irritation, Contact dermatitis (skin inflammation), Ochronosis and potential risk of skin cancer.

How to Take Care of Skin with Vitiligo?

Tips Recommended by the Best Doctor for Vitiligo

1. Protect Your Skin from Sun Exposure

Use Sunscreen to prevents sunburns and uneven tanning.
Wear Protective Clothing.
Reduces direct sun exposure.

2. Maintain a Healthy Diet

Consume Antioxidant-Rich Foods like fruits, vegetables, and nuts help skin health.
Include Nutrient-Rich Foods.
Avoid junk food, alcohol, and artificial preservatives.

3. Avoid Skin Trauma

Avoid harsh rubbing or scratching.
Seek early treatment for skin infections.

4. Reduce Stress

Yoga, meditation, and relaxation techniques helps to reduce stress.
Connect with vitiligo support groups for emotional support.

5. Avoid Harmful Chemicals

Use Gentle Skin Products
Choose natural hair dyes to avoid skin irritation.

6. Regular Check-Ups and Early Intervention

Early treatment prevents vitiligo progression and improves treatment outcomes.

Consult a specialist before undergoing treatment. Treatment protocol is solely discreated by doctor and it varies from patient to patient. Please note that we will not assume responsibility for any adverse effects or complications resulting from self-treatment.

Best Vitiligo Treatment in India

For those seeking the best vitiligo treatment in India, Bangalore has some of the top vitiligo specialists. MelanoSite offers advanced treatments tailored to individual needs. Our team of experts, including experienced dermatologists, works together to provide comprehensive treatment plans tailored to each patient’s skin condition.

At MelanoSite, experienced dermatologists provide personalized care using cutting-edge technology. Our clinic specializes in Vitiligo treatment with proven success stories. MelanoSite has state-of-the-art treatment facilities in Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai, ensuring that patients across India have access to top-quality vitiligo care. We also have satellite centersat Patna, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Chennai and Ahmedabad.

Why Choose MelanoSite for Vitiligo Treatment?

Our clinic offers specialized vitiligo care, led by expert dermatologists who utilize advanced technology, including phototherapy and micrografting. With a high success rate and thousands of satisfied patients, we provide comprehensive care that goes beyond medical treatments, also offering emotional support to help individuals manage the condition and achieve optimal results.

Cost of Vitiligo Treatment in Bangalore

The Vitiligo treatment cost in Bangalore depends on:

Severity of the Condition: Early-stage treatments are less expensive.
Treatment Type: Medical, surgical, or cosmetic.
Number of Sessions Required.
Insurance Coverage and Financing Options available.

Frequently Asked Questions About Vitiligo

Is Vitiligo Contagious?

No, vitiligo is not contagious and does not spread through contact.

Can vitiligo cause skin allergies?

No, vitiligo itself does not cause skin allergies. It is an autoimmune condition that leads to the loss of skin pigmentation but does not trigger allergic reactions.

Is Vitiligo Genetic or Not?

Vitiligo has a genetic component, meaning it can run in families. However, not everyone with a family history of vitiligo will develop the condition.

What Are the Latest Treatments for Vitiligo?

Advanced treatments like NB-UVB phototherapy, micrografting, and cell suspension therapy are effective.

How effective is vitiligo cream?

The effectiveness of vitiligo creams varies depending on the individual and the severity of the condition.

Do I need to consult a dermatologist if I have white patches on skin?

Yes, consulting a dermatologist is highly recommended if you notice white patches on your skin.

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Anantha Prasad Holla