How does excimer laser work for vitiligo?
How does excimer laser work for vitiligo?
The excimer laser produces monochromatic rays at 308 nm to treat limited, stable patches of vitiligo. This new treatment is an efficacious, safe, and well-tolerated treatment for vitiligo. However, therapy is expensive. Localized lesions of vitiligo are treated twice weekly for an average of 24-48 sessions.
What does excimer laser do?
The excimer laser alters the refractive state of the eye by removing tissue from the anterior cornea through a process known as photoablative decomposition. This process uses ultraviolet energy from the excimer laser to disrupt chemical bonds in the cornea without causing any thermal damage to surrounding tissue.
Can you laser vitiligo?
Light treatment Light boxes are used to treat widespread vitiligo; lasers are used to treat a small area. Works best on the face; least effective on hands and feet. Effective for many patients; about 70% see results with an excimer laser. Results can disappear.
What is the management of vitiligo?
How is vitiligo treated? There is no cure for vitiligo. The goal of medical treatment is to create a uniform skin tone by either restoring color (repigmentation) or eliminating the remaining color (depigmentation). Common treatments include camouflage therapy, repigmentation therapy, light therapy and surgery.
How does phototherapy work for vitiligo?
An increasing number of studies show that light therapy is one of the most effective vitiligo treatments. The UV radiation from light therapy triggers vitamin D production in the body, which can result in re-pigmentation of the skin.
What type of laser is used for vitiligo?
Laser Treatment. The excimer laser is a highly focused beam of UVB light. Dermatologists focus the laser directly on the lightened areas of skin using a wand-like device. The UVB light may stimulate repigmentation in the skin, restoring color to white patches.
What is excimer laser wavelength?
The term excimer results from a contraction of the words ‘excited state dimer,’ which indicates the excited-state nature of the lasing molecule. The lasers operate primarily in the ultraviolet spectral region with wavelengths at 193 nm (ArF), 248 nm (KrF), 308 nm (XeCl), and 351 nm (XeF).
What are the types of laser?
Based on their gain medium, lasers are classified into five main types:
- Gas Lasers.
- Solid-State Lasers.
- Fiber Lasers.
- Liquid Lasers (Dye Lasers)
- Semiconductor Lasers (Laser Diodes)
Can I marry a girl with vitiligo?
A person with vitiligo marrying another person with vitiligo is medically not recommended as there is a slightly higher chance of it passing on to the next generation,” Tawade said. But matches with people not having vitiligo are rare, he added.
Can vitiligo be controlled?
No drug can stop the process of vitiligo — the loss of pigment cells (melanocytes). But some drugs, used alone, in combination or with light therapy, can help restore some skin tone. Drugs that control inflammation. Applying a corticosteroid cream to affected skin might return color.
What is the pathophysiology of vitiligo?
Vitiligo pathogenesis begins with altered melanocytes that exhibit an elevated cellular stress response. This triggers autoimmunity, which targets melanocytes for destruction, resulting in focal depigmentation. Repigmentation requires the growth and migration of melanocytes, typically from hair follicles.
What is first line treatment for vitiligo?
Topical corticosteroids and/or topical immunomodulators for localized vitiligo and phototherapy for generalized vitiligo are considered as first line therapies.
How much does a laser treatment cost for a vitiligo?
The National Vitiligo Foundation [ 7] puts the starting cost of laser treatment at $150 or more per session, and notes that patients often require 20 sessions or more. Patients may also choose camouflage such as self-tanners or concealing cosmetics to hide discoloration rather than treatment to attempt to restore pigmentation.
What are excimer lasers used for?
Excimer lasers are used to treat mild-to-moderate psoriasis. With excimer laser therapy, patients usually have 2 sessions a week for 4 to 10 sessions to get results. Your doctor will determine your dose of laser light based on the thickness of your psoriasis plaques and your skin color (a lower dose is used on lighter skin).
How is vitiligo laser resurfacing performed?
How vitiligo laser resurfacing works This procedure involves a special optic fiber and the use of excimer laser . The patient who is about to undergo this treatment will be asked to lie down, after which the light from the laser device will be focused on the areas which are affected.
