How To Treat And Manage Vitiligo

Medications

Vitiligo cannot be cured, though some oral medications can produce marked repigmentation of white patches in some vitiligo patients. One of them is called afamelanotide, which is a type of hormone that stimulates melanocytes to produce more pigment. It's usually combined with light therapy, also called phototherapy. Abatacept is a biological protein-based substance and is often used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. However, there is a clinical trial underway to see if it may also improve symptoms of vitiligo. Tofacitinib is a similar type of medication also used for rheumatoid arthritis. When combined with UVB phototherapy, tofacitinib has shown great promise as an effective vitiligo treatment. Vitamins B-12 and folic acid may be useful in helping to re-pigment white patches when combined with sunlight. Another medication called psoralen, a plant derivative, is combined with phototherapy to help restore normal skin pigment. It can take up to one year to see results.

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