Loss of Pigment in the Skin - Leucoderma

Leucoderma [means white skin], is also known as vitiligo, and can be very upsetting by causing the patient endless mental distress in the fact that the skin starts losing the pigment melanin and leaves the skin with white patches [these can be small but some people have large areas that lose color].

Though not so noticeable on a pale skin, the people with darker complexions have a torrid time, as these blotches can be very ugly. This skin problem is not contagious, infectious or caused by bad blood and is not harmful to the patient.

Symptoms

* Small white spot
* develops into a white patch
* Pale to start with but get whiter as time goes by
* Patches enlarge and start merging with others forming a broader patch

It is not uncommon for most of the skin to be covered with these white patches once the problem starts.

Causes

* Chronic or acute digestive disorders
* Mental strain and worry
* Impaired liver e.g. jaundice
* Worms or other parasites
* Typhoid
* Burns
* Perspiration problems
* Hereditary

Treatments

Not to sure if the different treatments I have found will assist in alleviating the problem [I have not tried them], but will list them for your information.

1) Red clay - found near the rivers or hillsides, this needs to be mixed with some ginger juice [1 to 1]. Apply this mixture to the white spots or patches once daily. The ginger acts as a mild stimulant and helps increase the blood flow to the area, while the red clay [which contains copper] seems to bring back the pigmentation.

2) Water - leave some water in a copper jug overnight and drink this through-out the day.

3) Radish - make a paste from the seeds [30gms] by adding 2 teaspoons vinegar, apply this to the area as it is quite in-valuable in the treating of vitiligo.

4) Turmeric - Pound 500gms of this and soak in around 7 liters of water over-night. The next morning boil to reduce the amount of liquid to about 1 liter, strain, add about 1/2 a liter of mustard oil and bring back to the boil [boiling until only the oil is left], strain once more and bottle, apply to the affected areas twice a day for a few months.

5) Psoralea [Babchi] - apparently one of the better known home remedies for vitiligo, the seeds are soaked in the juice of ginger for 3 days [renewing the ginger liquid every day]. Remove the husks of these seeds [rub between the palms of your hands], lay them in the shade to dry, pound to a powder and take 1 gram of this in a glass of milk every day for a month. This powder can also be applied to the affected areas if need be. Mixing Babchi seeds with tamarind seeds and soaking them in water for 4 days, then cleaning them, grinding them into a paste and placing on the white area for seven days is also said to be very effective.

Note: if this paste causes itching or oozing of the white spots discontinue the treatment immediately.

6) Goose foot - this vegetable should be taken twice a day for two months and the juice from the leaves applied to the problem area.

Remember a healthy well balanced diet with all medical problems is the norm, going to see your doctor with this problem will also help in trying to rectify any of the causes listed above.

Candice is a full time author and loves to write about her interests. These include a variety of diets, be it for weight loss or for the benefit of ones health she puts pen to paper. She also loves shopping, bowling, beading, dabbles in the forex market and enjoys internet marketing. You can visit her at 22 Inch Rims to find the 22 Inch rims you have always wanted.