Vitiligo

[john wickens]

Can you confirm that a medication is being trialled for vitiligo that is normally used in treatment for another condtion e.g ? renal problem ?

[Julie Van Onselen]

Dear John
Thank you for your question. There is lots of ongoing research in the treatment and new innovations for skin conditions around the world. The drugs currently in clinical trials for vitiligo are biologic agents,anti-TNF-α drugs, these drugs are currently licensed in the UK for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis; therefore to use was a vitiligo treatment the drug has to undergo further clinical trials, so a licence indication can be granted, depending on the success of the reserach. Currently there is no licensed biologic drug for vitiligo in the UK. However, dermatologists sometimes prescribe drugs 'off-licence'; which may include other drugs, such as immunosuppressants, which, for example may be used in renal disease; but clinical observation showed improvement of an existing skin disease. I suggest for more information on clinical trails in the UK and information on new treatments for vitiligo that you contact The Vitiligo Society at http://www.vitiligosociety.org.uk
I hope this helps.
Julie

[Dr Anton Alexandroff]

Dear John,

thank you for your question. The answer to your question is yes. There are some new medications which showed promising results and larger clinical studies are ongoing or planned. We would need to see how successful and safe these new treatments are when tested in larger scale trials.

I hope this might be of help.

with very best wishes,

Dr Anton Alexandroff CCT(Dermatol) FRCP FAAD FRSM
Consultant Dermatologist and Senior Lecturer
Member of British Association of Dermatologists
De Montfort University, Leicester Spire Hospital, Leicester Nuffield Health Hospital, Bedford BMI Manor Hospital
www.alexandroff.org.uk

[Vanessa Jane Davies]

Hello John,

It may be worth looking in to skin camouflage treatment as a short term or long term option. The results are excellent for Vitiligo and the treatment is suitable for men as well as women and children. The products can last on the skin between 1-3 days, depending on the area and are waterproof. They will look natural and a colour match can be achieved for any skin tone.

You can request a referral from your GP for a NHS appointment or you can have a private skin camouflage assessment.The products are available on the NHS and can be bought independently.

I'm happy to help with further advice.

Kind regards,