Body Care

Vitiligo is a skin condition that results in the loss of skin colour in patches. These patches typically tend to get bigger over time. It can affect the skin of any body part and sometimes can even affect the inside of the mouth and the hair.

The pigment that normally determines the colour of the hair and the skin is melanin. Vitiligo occurs when melanin-producing cells get damaged or stop functioning properly. Vitiligo affects people with all different types of skin, but it is more noticeable in people with black or brown skin, including Indian skin tones. Even though the condition is not contagious or life-threatening, it can be stressful and harm the self-esteem of the person. Treatment can help restore colour in people with vitiligo. If you are suffering from vitiligo and are located around Navi Mumbai, you can visit the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Navi Mumbai and get an appointment with an expert who will guide you to the next step.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of vitiligo include:

• Patchy loss of the colour of skin, which usually starts appearing from the face, hands, and areas surrounding the openings of the body and the genitalia.
• Premature greying or whitening of the scalp, hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, or beard.
• Loss of colour in the tissues lining the inside of the nose and the mouth.
• Although vitiligo can start at any age, its incidence is more common before 30 years of age.
• Depending on which type of vitiligo a person has, it may affect:
• Almost all the skin surfaces: This type of vitiligo is called universal vitiligo. The discolouration involves all the skin surfaces.

Types of vitiligo

• Many body parts
  This type of vitiligo is called generalised vitiligo. Here, the discoloured patches involve most parts of the body. The discoloured patches often progress in a similar fashion on the symmetrical body parts.
• Only one side or part of the body
  This type of vitiligo is called segmental vitiligo and tends to start at an earlier age. It usually progresses for a year or two and then resolves.
• Only a few body parts are involved
  This type of vitiligo is called focal or localised vitiligo.
• Hands and the face
  This type of vitiligo is called acrofacial vitiligo. The affected skin involves the skin on the hands and the face and around the openings of the body, such as the nose, ears, and eyes. How the disease will progress is difficult to predict in this type of vitiligo. Sometimes the patches resolve spontaneously without treatment. The loss of pigment spreads and eventually involves most of the skin in most cases.

When to see a doctor?

You must see a dermatologist if you notice that areas of your hair, skin, or mucous membranes are losing colour. Vitiligo can’t be cured, but the treatment helps slow the discolouring process and bring the discoloured skin to a normal appearance to a great extent.

Steven-Johnson syndrome is a serious skin condition of the skin and the mucous membrane that is relatively rare. It usually occurs as a reaction to medications and starts with flu-like symptoms, followed by a painful rash that forms blisters as it spreads. The top layer of the skin then dies, sheds and begins to heal in a matter of a few days.

Steven-Johnson syndrome is a medical emergency requiring hospitalisation. The treatment is given to remove the cause of the condition, accelerate the healing process of the wounds, control the pain, and minimise the chances of complications as the skin regrows. Serious patients can sometimes take weeks or months to recover from the disease.

Sometimes the condition can occur in a more severe form. It is called toxic epidermal necrolysis. It affects more than 30% of the skin surface, with widespread damage to the mucous membranes. If the condition is triggered by a medication, it needs to be permanently stopped.

Symptoms

The early signs of Steven-Johnson syndrome appear one to three days before the rash develops. Those include sore throat or mouth, fever, burning eyes, and fatigue. As the condition progresses, other signs and symptoms start developing. These may include a purple or red rash that spreads, unexplained pain in the skin, blisters on the skin and the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, genitals, and eyes, or shedding of the skin within days after the blisters develop.

When to see a doctor?

Steven-Johnson syndrome demands immediate medical care and attention. If you experience any signs and symptoms of the disease, you must seek emergency treatment. If you are located around Navi, Mumbai, you can visit the Department of Dermatology at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Navi Mumbai and get an appointment with an expert who will guide you to the next step.

Pemphigus Vulgaris is a skin condition that leads to the development of blisters and sores on the skin or the mucous membranes of the mouth or the genital area. Although the condition can occur at an age, it is most commonly seen in middle-aged or older people. It tends to be a chronic condition, meaning that it is long-lasting. Some types of pemphigus can be life-threatening if left untreated. Proper treatment controls the symptoms and prevents the progression of the disease to a great extent.

Symptoms

Pemphigus leads to the formation of blisters on the skin and the mucous membranes. These blisters easily rupture, leaving open sores that can get infected and ooze.

Below are the signs and symptoms of the two most common types of pemphigus:

• Pemphigus Vulgaris
  This type of pemphigus usually starts with blisters inside the mouth and then invades the skin or mucous membranes or the genitalia. The blisters usually don’t itch but can be painful. If the blisters are present inside the mouth or the throat, you will feel difficulty in eating or swallowing.
• Pemphigus foliaceus
  In this type of pemphigus, blisters develop on the back, chest, and shoulders. These blisters tend to be less painful and itchier. This type of pemphigus doesn’t cause blisters inside the mouth.

When to see a doctor?

If you notice blisters inside your mouth or other areas of the skin that don’t seem to heal, you must consult a doctor. If you are located around Navi Mumbai, you can visit the Department of Dermatology at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Navi Mumbai and get an appointment with an expert who will guide you to the next step.

The dermatologists at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital Navi Mumbai are nationally recognised for their expertise in diagnosing and treating skin, hair, and nail diseases and disorders. Our dermatology specialists have expertise in immunology, genetics, oral disease, paediatrics, pathology, pharmacology, melanoma, and public health and surgery. They aptly perform cosmetic surgery, laser surgery, and other advanced dermatological procedures.

We house a dedicated area for dermatological procedures, which is equipped with high-end machines and automated reclining chairs for patients. Disposable materials are used during all our procedures to negate the chances of infections. People seeking help for diseases of the nails, hair, skin, and mucous membranes can find it at our widely respected Department of Dermatology.