Opzelura (generic name ruxolitinib cream 1.5%) is a prescription topical medication. It is the first topical Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor approved for certain skin conditions. JAK inhibitors modulate the immune response by blocking JAK1/JAK2 enzymes, which in turn reduces inflammatory signals​. Opzelura comes as a cream applied to the skin.What it’s used for: Opzelura is approved to treat:

In recent years, the global community has placed a greater emphasis on embracing diversity and inclusivity. This is reflected in the media, entertainment, education, and other spheres of life. With this mindset shift, it has become important to teach young children the value of inclusion and respect for diversity. One way to achieve this is through representation of people with visible differences. In this regard, Barbie dolls with vitiligo provide an excellent opportunity to introduce children to the concept of social inclusion and encourage the participation of different people in social life. The new Barbie dolls with vitiligo are part of a series of dolls that feature a range of diverse attributes, including different body types, skin colors, and disabilities. Released in 2020, the Barbie with vitiligo has a unique appearance, with spots of depigmented skin on her face and body, which closely resembles the real-life condition of vitiligo. The doll was designed in collaboration with a dermatologist who specializes in treating the condition, ensuring that the design accurately reflects the real-life experiences of people with vitiligo.

A new product promises to help in the treatment of vitiligo. The new cream is called Pigmerise MD and it uses black pepper extract to stimulate melanocyte production.   First mentioned about 10 years ago in a study from a group of researchers at King’s College London, the stimulating properties of black pepper extract were demonstrated in a series of mouse experiments which showed that piperine can stimulate repigmentation in vitiligo. [1] Pigmerise comes in a 50 ml bottle and uses an airless dosing system which prevents the product from drying out. The cream is green in color and smells like pepper. The product's instructions warn users that the product is irritating to eyes and nose.  Pigmerise MD flask and contents  

I would like to start off with a question. Have you embraced your vitiligo or are you still in denial? It seems rather difficult to answer even for those who consider the matter to be internally resolved. Many persons who have accepted they have vitiligo turn on a regular basis to fashion and cosmetics for help in carrying out day to day activities. I myself am very open about my spots BUT haven’t gotten over using foundation. Applied on face and hands when going to work or attending functions and events, it provides a shield from inquisitive eyes. This sometimes feels like pretending or hiding and can lead to emotional barriers. These are particularly difficult to raise whenever you let someone new in your private circle such as a friend or loved one. Eventually they will “discover” your true form and you fear becoming vulnerable or ridiculed. Your inner self does not want to become mocked so you wonder if you should continue the keep the facade or be open from the beginning? As someone who has lived a lot of years with vitiligo, acceptance is easier as you advance in age. Fear of being vulnerable or ridiculed stops being so important. It lets way to priorities such as living a happy life that's not hindered by this affliction. So age comes with wisdom and problems you are facing now will seem trivial in hindsight at one point.

Arguably the biggest reason for people to struggle with the condition is the fact that vitiligo changes an individual’s outward appearance. Therefore it is no surprise that vitiligo can have psychological impact on patients lives. The most common effects include: Social anxiety that might limit a person’s ability to socialize with their peers Lack of self confidence and low self esteem, which may lead to suicidal thoughts Body image issues and difficulty in accepting own appearance. This includes potential for body dysmorphia to develop. Body dysmorphia is a mental disorder characterized by the obsesive idea that some aspect of one's body appearance is flawed. Psychosexual problems In a recent study, as many as 83% of vitiligo patients asked to take part, responded. This was a very high response rate for such a study and it can be assumed that the condition correlates to a high degree of impacts among its sufferers. Also this is indicative of the number of people wanting (or needing) better support for the condition.

Home UV therapy is a type of patient centered alternative to office based treatments. Phototherapy was first introduced in 1979 as a treatment plan for psoriasis. The technique has been since adapted for controlling or curing vitiligo in the 1990s. There are a several reasons why home based phototherapy is beneficial for vitiligo patients. The treatment technique is non-invasive. Further, home UV treatments are reducing logistical dilemmas. Treatments happen in the comfort of the patient’s own home which minimizes the need for patients to book doctor's appointments for a long periods of time in advance. Home therapy shows increase in compliance. A study from 2011 has shown patients better adhere to protocol compared to patients receiving treatments in medical institutions. Benefits don't stop with the patient. Home phototherapy also helps nurses responsible for administering treatment. It reduces nurse workload, which promotes nurse availability for emergency appointments. How Does Phototherapy Work? Home based phototherapy was developed as a treatment for psoriasis. Later, it was shown to be applicable for the treatment of vitiligo. The exact mechanism on how UV helps patients suffering from vitiligo is not fully understood by the scientific community. Yet, its efficacy has been proven by many different studies.

Loyola University of Chicago researchers have developed a genetically modified protein with potential in reversing the effects of vitiligo in mice. The group of researchers led by Dr. Caroline Le Poole described their findings in an article published in  "Science Translational Medicine" Previous studies performed by this group of researchers have shown that the HSP70i protein plays a vital role in the autoimmune response that causes vitiligo. HSP70i is a heat shock protein consisting of 641 building blocks called amino acids. Le Poole and her colleagues genetically modified one of these amino-acids to create a mutant HSP70i. The mutant HSP70i protein supplants HSP70i proteins, reversing the autoimmune response in vitiligo. When administered to mice, HSP70i protein caused them to develop vitiligo. Their fur turned the colouring of salt-and-pepper. When vaccinated with the mutant HSP70i, their fur turned black again. The same effect could be observed on human skin samples. Concerning the future of this discovery for the treatment of vitiligo, their still is a long way to go: the researchers are seeking regulatory approval and funding for clinical trials in humans.

There are many theories regarding the causes of Vitiligo and the process through which this disease spreads, however studies have demonstrated that the loss of cutaneous melanocytes can be caused by decreased circulating and lesional skin levels of the naturally occurring melanocortin peptide hormone, alpha-melanocyte (α-MSH). The Afamelanotide peptide was developed as a synthetic analogue of α-MSH and has been shown to induce skin pigmentation through melanogenesis and thereby subsequently reduce sun (UV) damage to UV exposed skin. While this peptide’s origins can be traced back to 1991 there haven’t been many breakthroughs regarding the repigmentation properties that are of interest for the treatment of Vitiligo.

The key element of a UVB lamp is the PL-S 9W/01/2P tube. It produces narrow waveband emissions: between 305 and 315 nm with a peak at 311 nm - an effective waveband for the treatment of vitiligo. Since the narrow band UV tube uses the same lamp caps and ballasts as general lighting lamps, we can fit the tube in a common desk-lamp and obtain the same beneficial results as we would from a dedicated UV lamp. What parts do you need: A desk lamp with G23 socket PL-S 9W/01/2P tube (optional) a better ballast to replace the original ballast of the lamp In the following example I have replaced the default ballast with a Vossloh Schwabe L7/9/11.851 ballast. I have decided to perform this change because a cheap ballast could reduce the lifetime of the UV tube. Depending on the ballast that comes with the desk-lamp you may or may not need to replace it. I've opened the base box of the desk lamp and found that the default ballast was poor quality to say the least. I've then desoldered the two connections and placed the new ballast in. Fortunately the base box was large enough to accommodate this slightly larger ballast. After reconnecting the new ballast I've secured it in palce with two bolts. The I've closed the lamp base and replaced the standard lighting tube with the PL-S 9W/01/2P narrow band UV tube.

Have ever wondered how the vitiligo condition is perceived by others ? You may have sometimes noticed a long stare or have been asked some odd questions but what is someone thinking when seeing a person with visible loss of pigmentation ?  A study performed in Saudi Arabia reveals alarming results: the disorder is thought to be infectious by 20.4% of respondents (182 of 894), inherited by 40.5% (365 of 902), autoimmune by 41.2% (370 of 899) and due to a lack of hygiene by 22.5% (199 of 883). The study noticed that the responders with less education were more likely to think that vitiligo is caused by an infection or bad hygiene. Maybe the misconceptions are not so widespread in the western world. The public perception of vitiligo is also dependent on the disease spread; for example visible spots on extremities, face and neck have a special impact. Around  half of the persons questioned would be unwilling to marry a person with vitiligo. This social perception leads to low self-esteem, social isolation and overall poor quality of life in vitiligo patients. Because the wrong perceptions of the disease are common it would be necessary to raise the awareness level about this skin disorder. SOURCE: Khalid, M. A., Noura, A. M., Mandil, A., AlKofidi, M., Madani, A., AlDaham, N., & Abbas, A. A. (2012). Public perceptions and attitudes toward vitiligo. Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery