Therapy for Vitiligo

Name: Dr Ifeoma Ejikeme
Address: 474 Harrow Road, Central London, W9 3RU, UK
Telephone: 020.3875.7399
Price range: Please Call for Pricing

Vitiligo is an autoimmune skin condition that occurs when the body’s immune system over-activates and begins damaging melanosomes, the cells that produce melanin.

Melanin is responsible for skin, hair, and eye pigmentation. The darker the skin tone, hair color, or eye shade, the higher the concentrations of melanin.

Over time, Vitiligo wears down melanosomes to the point they cannot produce enough melanin to maintain color pigment. This results in irregular patches of "hypopigmented" white skin, as well as lightened patches of hair and eyes.

The specialists at Adonia Medical Clinic provide groundbreaking, painless treatment with leading UVB laser therapeutic interventions for skin autoimmune disorders such as Vitiligo. Through these cutting-edge modalities meeting compassionate, person-centred care, Dr Ifeoma Ejikeme and her team have helped hundreds of people with Vitiligo in and around Central London restore skin color and regain confidence from the inside out.

Vitiligo Treatment Therapies

Vitiligo is a chronic, ongoing condition. This means most Vitiligo white patches formed as a result of melanosomes damage will be permanent if left untreated.

There are a range of available therapies to manage Vitiligo, namely to improve the appearance of skin and hair. Today, by utilising more advanced laser and light modalities, pigment colour can be rehabilitated.

Traditional therapy for Vitiligo aims to address many of its symptoms, namely through:

Phototherapy (light-based therapy)
Prescription oral corticosteroids
Topical immunosuppressants
Hair-growth supplements and prescriptions

Adonia Medical Clinic is proud to offer Vitiligo phototherapy, which stands as one of today’s most effective treatment approaches to managing — and in some cases improving — Vitiligo skin repigmentation.

Systematic meta-analyses have found Vitiligo patients on average see marked responses to light-based therapies nearing 20% skin pigmentation improvements after 6 months, and up to 36% improvement after 12 months.

Adonia Medical Clinic is one of Central London’s leading practitioners of Exciplex® light-based therapy for Vitiligo with clinics in Maida Vale and Hampstead. Contact Adonia for a free in-person or virtual consultation to learn this treatment can offer real, lasting results.

Exciplex® Light-Based Therapy for Vitiligo

Exciplex® is a non-invasive phototherapy light treatment that currently offers one of today’s safest, most effective repigmentation therapies for individuals with Vitiligo.

Exciplex® uses a handheld device which emits steady pulses of 308nm monochromatic excimer light. This specific wavelength has been dermatologically researched and tested to optimally penetrate into deeper dermal layers and suppress the dysregulated immune system at its melanosome-damaging source, including reducing overactive T-cell counts.

The Exciplex® phototherapy is a highly effective option for Vitiligo repigmentation, restoring skin colour over time and making a significant difference in patient confidence and self-image.

What Makes Exciplex® Unique for Vitiligo?
- Localised immune system suppression
- Effective T-cell apoptosis
- Minimal down time
- Minimal side effects
- Sustained results where other therapies require greater dosage, treatment frequency, and recovery periods
Timeline.
Average treatment timelines will vary depending on the severity and scale of areas impacted by Vitiligo. Most Exciplex® laser treatments typically involve a minimum of 20 sessions, lasting several months to a year.
Recovery.
Once you have undergone your Exciplex® treatment, you can quickly return to your daily routine with minimal side effects. Exciplex® lasers also carry no increased risk for skin cancers or premalignant skin lesions and have a faster recovery than other significant repigmentation interventions, like surgery.

Adonia Medical Clinic will provide post-treatment care instructions to ensure optimum results.
It is important for people with Vitiligo to moisturise and wear daily sunscreen SPF 50 or higher, particularly on the areas undergoing photo-laser treatment.
Results.
- After 3 months of consistent Exciplex® therapy: Patients will begin experiencing mild local repigmentation of treated areas.
- After 6 months of consistent Exciplex® therapy: Broader, significant skin tone restoration and blending across widespread patches.
- After 12 months of consistent Exciplex® therapy: Many Vitiligo patients see a return or near-return to their previous skin tone in treated areas.

Therapy for Vitiligo: Real Results from Adonia Medical Clinic

Adonia Medical Clinic is one of Central London’s leading providers of Exciplex® light-based therapy for Vitiligo, with clinics in Maida Vale and Hampstead. Contact Adonia to learn how this treatment can deliver real, lasting results.

Before & After Gallery

What Is Vitiligo?

Vitiligo is a chronic, long-lasting autoimmune disorder targeting the body’s melanin-producing cells, melanocytes. Vitiligo can affect nearly any part of the body as well as the mouth, scalp, hair, and eyes. Over time, if left untreated, Vitiligo may progress.

Once melanocytes have been damaged, these cells are no longer able to produce melanin, resulting in the appearance of pale, white patches or blotches contained within a well-defined border. These patches may be more visible in people with darker skin tones.

While Vitiligo is a painless condition affecting no other bodily parts or systems, it is common for patients to feel changes in confidence, self-image, and self-esteem. This is why therapy for Vitiligo, including Vitiligo laser treatments, has grown in popularity and efficacy in recent years.

Common Vitiligo Areas of Concern

Vitiligo most commonly develops in symmetrical patches, for instance appearing on both hands, thighs, or face cheeks.

There are several areas of the body where Vitiligo patches are common, including:

Vitiligo on the torso.
The torso, mainly the chest, abdomen, and pelvic area.
Vitiligo on the back.
The outer upper (thoracic), middle (lumbar), lower (sacrum) and tailbone regions.
Vitiligo in the hair and scalp.
On and past the hairline, as well as direct hypopigmentation of hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes.
Vitiligo on face and neck.
Lip hypopigmentation as well as whitening of the interior lining of the mouth and nostrils.
Vitiligo on hands, feet, and arms.

Signs and Symptoms of Vitiligo

Vitiligo varies widely in patch size, shape, scale, and total pigment loss. However, its underlying expression will be the characteristic white, hypopigmented patches across the skin’s surface. These patches may appear more pronounced on people with darker or mixed-heritage skin tones. Common mild-to-severe vitiligo symptoms can include:

Prolonged itchiness on areas before hypopigmentation begins.
Growing escalation of depigmentation.
Premature white or greying hair.
Hair loss.
Gradual eye colour changes.
Eye swelling and eye inflammation.

Causes of Vitiligo

The cause of Vitiligo remains unknown. Like other chronic autoimmune disorders, it is thought Vitiligo may be triggered by one or several cofactors, including genetics, underlying conditions, and skin damage due to frequent direct sun exposure.

While Vitiligo can develop at any age, for many, symptoms begin in their young to mid-twenties.

Genetics.
No one specific gene variant or genetic variant combination has been shown as the direct cause of Vitiligo. However, certain families are known to display increased rates of diagnosed Vitiligo. Research also indicates there are approximately 30 currently understood gene variations linked to Vitiligo, including the NLRP1 and PTPN22 genes.
Autoimmune Disorders.
People with Vitiligo experience a 15-25% higher risk of developing other autoimmune conditions. The most common include related skin disorders like psoriasis and alopecia areata, as well as autoimmune thyroid disease.
UVA/UVB Damage.
Areas where pigment has been lost are less protected from UV light. The decreased melanin present in skin affected by Vitiligo therefore puts patients at higher risk for UVA/UVB sun damage.

It is highly encouraged for people with vitiligo on the back, vitiligo on the hair and scalp, and vitiligo on the torso and outer limbs to apply daily sunscreen SPF 50 or higher.

get in touch today

Talk to us

When it comes to your appearance, our skin experts at our Central London clinic can help target a range of concerns. We’re experts at treating Black, Asian, Caucasian and mixed heritage skin with our scientifically-led treatments, creating results that enhance and empower. Contact us today to find out how we can help.

Call: 020.3875.7399 Email: info@adoniamedicalclinic.co.uk Book Online

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