Over the last decade, there have been significant changes in the way vitiligo is treated and perceived. Skin disorders are still associated with a myriad of psychological and physical comorbidities, and there is no cure yet approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
However, for dermatologists such as Wendy Ripple and MD at Allegheny Health Network Pediatrics, this is far from complete.
In an interview with HCPLive, Ripple talked about different views of the patient’s vitiligo. Some patients continue to seek treatment for depigmentation, while others are looking for ways to recontextualize their disability in their lives.
“Vitiligo has a wide range of reactions. Some people live with it, they like their spots, they accept them, and they don’t want to treat them at all, and we They are happy with it as long as they make sure that there are no underlying or related obstacles. ” “And there are other people who want the opposite. They want their skin to be all one color or a normal color. We make it a normal color (skin) of any length. I will try to return to (the color of). “
For patients interested in restoring pigmentation in the affected area of the body, non-adaptive strategies such as phototherapy and luxolitinib cream are used.
However, the development of these strategies is often influenced by how the patient wants treatment and, decisively, which areas of the body are affected. For example, the face is made up of very sensitive skin, so the use of strong topical steroids is prohibited.
Ripple also reminds patients who are willing to receive treatment that they must be “very honest” and obedient about taking daily medications and pursuing long-term treatment, ensuring a desirable response to these treatment strategies. not.
However, Ripple added that some reactions were “tremendous” among patients treated with luxolitinib cream in her practice. She also said that insurance companies have helped cover the treatment of affected patients so far, but requests are often denied first and need further explanation by Ripple. Said.
“When I started limiting myself to dermatology 17 years ago, I remember that some clinic visits weren’t covered by insurance when I used the diagnosis of alopecia areata and vitiligo. These drugs have been approved and are not currently indicated, “she said. “It certainly encourages people to see it as a true autoimmune disease that needs to be treated. It’s not just a cosmetic problem with the skin, it really involves the whole person. Has an autoimmune relationship. “
Listen to Dr. Ripple for more information on the expression of vitiligo in the media and culture, and see the full video interview above to see what we can do to help those affected by the condition.
