Jody's Picks
The Best Rated Emailed Questions Recently A Received & Answered by Jody Embanks .
Jody Ebanks B.S.
Jody was born on the beautiful island of Jamaica in the West Indies. She moved to the United States at a young age and resided in Massachusetts.
In MA, she attended Boston College and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry. Her interests/hobbies include the sciences as well as the arts (painting, drawing). Currently Jody is pursuing
a graduate degree at the University of Cincinnati in Cosmetic Chemistry in
conjunction with skin pigmentation science.
Jody helps answer the large number of inquries sent to the foundation
Send Your Emails To info@nvfi.org
December 5, 2007
Q: Dear Sirs, I have vitiligo especially on my fingers and feet. Recently, on Holiday I had to take antibiotics which listed a side effect of extra sensitivity to the sun. It was hard to avoid the sun and use sunscreen on my fingers all the time. Now 5 weeks later my fingers are still very red in the vitiligo areas, and although they do not hurt or itch the skin looks sore and dry........unlike anything I have had before. What do you recommend? Thanks very much for your help.
A: I recommend that you visit a dermatologist (maybe even one that has experience with vitiligo patients) to assess the skin reaction that is occuring. During the visit, you could ask about optimizing your current sunscreen routine. This way you can balance the amount of sun exposure such that you are not overexposing the skin (that can possibly cause more damage.) On the NVFI website there is a link titled "Find a Physician" that gives information on some dermatologists that specialize in Vitiligo (currently this information is within the United States, we hope to expand this list soon). As a member of the NVFI you will also have access to current treatment options, vitiligo information, etc
Q: My husband has vitiligo on his face, arms and legs. How can he stop it or can it be reversed w/o paying $6,000 or more. Is there something that he can take that will help the color become normal again?
A: There are various treatment options for treating vitiligo (ie help regain pigmentation) but currently there is no known cure. The prices of these treatment options vary and is best obtained through collaboration between you, your dermatologist and your insurance company.
On the NVFI website, Dr James Nordlund has written an article titled "Insurance, Vitiligo, and You" webpage: http://nvfi.org/pages/info_insurance_and_you.html With valuable information.
Q: Can you recommend any beauty salon where I can get my eyelashes tinted by someone knowledgeable in this area?
A: Hello,First as you probably already know, a licensed dermatologist is the appropriate source information on vitiligo treatment. It seems that the best bet is to use a cosmetic coverage such as a mascara. Dyes should seriously be avoided due to the proximity to the eyes as well as the fact that they often contain Hydrogen peroxide/phenols that may cause vitiligo to spread.
Q: Does having vitiligo increase my chance of getting skin cancer from sun exposure? Since I no longer "tan" are the white patches more likely to burn?
A: Skin pigmentation offers not only color to your skin, but also some protection from the harmful UV rays of the sun. It is always a good idea to practice a good sun protection routine (ie UVA/UVB sunscreen, longsleeves, hats) especially on the areas that have white patches. Yet it in the opinion of some doctors it is alright to get some sun exposure as it may help in the repigmentation process BUT the exposure to sun should not lead to a sun burn. You should refer to a licensed dermatologist, as they can tell you the best sun protection regimen as well as appropriate sun exposure as it applies specifically to you.
Q: I wonder if someone could tell me if there is an association with vitiligo and hair loss in women. I know it is an autoimmune disease, and I have a second autoimmune disease (hyperthyroidism) and read on an internet site that both can be a source of hair loss.
A: The association of Vitiligo with hair loss (alopecia) is very controversial. There have been studies in the past that suggest an association between the two, however a recent study demonstrates that this association may not be significant.
Q: I have had Vitiligo since I was 16 (I am now 72) It started with a small white patch on my elbows and really didn't progress until my 40's. I now have white spots on my feet, legs, arms and neck. I would very much like to know if there is a cosmetic on the market (besides Dermablend) that I can use, especially on my neck, that won't rub off on my clothes. Do you know of any such product
A: Dermablend is an excellent cosmetic company with products specifically designed for people with Vitiligo. Another excellent line of products is produced by Cover Fx. These products were specifically developed for numerous dermatological problems including Vitiligo. The web site for Cover Fx is: http://www.coverfx.com?
Q: What is RNAi?
A: RNAi is an exciting new technology that many scientist in both academia and industry are utilizing to develop therapeutic methods for various diseases. In fact, I have a pending proposal trying to develop this technology for lightening hyper-pigmented skin lesions. However, pertaining to Vitiligo, RNAi as a therapy is years and maybe decades off. The reason is that RNAi works for silencing only a single gene at a time and Vitiligo is a multi-genetic disease (plus we have no idea currently what those genes are). So in concept this technology would be great for Vitiligo but practically it is a long way off
Q: (1) My son has Vitiligo, and he is only 6 years old. His friends are always looking down on him. And I am trying my best to look for medicine and cures for him. But until now, his condition has not improved. So is it the best way to apply topical steroid cream?
A: Only your dermatologist can advise the best treatment regime, in particular regard to the use of topical steroids. To review treatment options see the report on the NVF web site listed under “TREATMENT APPROACHES” that has just been updated.
Q: Is vitiligo the same as leukoderma?
A: Leukoderma is medically defined as partial or total loss of skin pigmentation, often occurring in patches. Vitiligo is one form of leukoderma. There are many others for example piebaldism, nevus depigmentosus, etc.
Q: I recently was searching for Vitiligo Treatments and came upon a treatment called Vitiligo Tab. It has a 100% guarantee to permanently cure Vitiligo. Have you guys ever heard of this? If not is it safe to try?
A: Vitiligo TabTM are a products sold by a company in the United Kingdom called Garson Health Solutions. The active ingredient's) that it contains has not been disclosed. But more importantly, there are no clinical studies in the medical literature demonstrating the efficacy of this product in curing Vitiligo as it claims. Safety data for Vitiligo TabTM has also not been published.
Q: I am 27 yr old women and i have been affected by vitiligo from the age of 15. My mother and my mother's father are also suffering from vitiligo have planned to get married but my spouse parent's are against our marriage. The reason being, my physical appearance and the chance whether this disease will continue for my children also. Could you please advise me whether my children also develop vitiligo? And also am I eligible for marriage and sexual life?
A: The probability of child of a person with Vitiligo also developing Vitiligo is very rare. Vitiligo in the general populations occurs at about the 0.5 - 1% incidence (that is to say 1 in every 100 to 200 people throughout the world have Vitiligo). The incidence of Vitiligo in the children of a family where one parent has Vitiligo is not much higher than that and may be about 5%.
Q: I have just been recently diagnosed with Vitiligo, since June 2006. Some days I might not even realize I have this condition, but other days my face actually hurts? mainly a burning feeling. Why does it burn and what can I do about it?
A: Still Pending....
Q: I have had vitiligo for 5years and it has progressively covered about 40% of my body. It is symmetrical on each side of my body. I am 59 years old and developed it after a bout of Shingles. What I am concerned about is the ramifications for my eyes. I would like to know more about the symptoms of the retinal damage, etc.
A: Most patients with Vitiligo have few symptoms related to the eyes. Patients my note vague headaches, a slight decrease in night vision (inability to see clearly in very dim light), or mild photophobia (an abnormal sensitivity to or tolerance of bright lights). Pigment in the eye can be lost in patients with Vitiligo and this seems to be the underlying cause of the symptoms described above. Damage to the retina (the area of the eye that perceives vision) has never been documented to occur in Vitiligo patients.
Q: My Dermatologist gave me was Hydrocortisone. What is Hydrocortisone and what does it do?
A: Hydrocortisone is a steroidal hormone that has the capability to suppress or eliminate inflammation. It suppresses inflammation by preventing inflammatory white blood cells (T-cells or lymphocytes of the body) from increasing in number (proliferating) during an immune response. Since Vitiligo may have a immune/inflammatory component that may assist in the removal of pigment cells from the skin, hydrocortisone may be effective in stopping the spread of a Vitiligo spot and possibly allow repigmentation to occur in some but not all patients.
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