Dermato Surgeries

Vitiligo or Leukoderma is a problem in which white marks and patches having irregular shape appear on various areas of your skin. This disorder occurs when melanocytes (cells which produce melanin pigment responsible for giving color to your skin) are destroyed or stop functioning. It is the most common depigmenting disorder that affects approximately 0.5 to 1% of the general population regardless of race and sex.

The exact etiology of vitiligo is still unknown and it is associated with autoimmune, neural, genetic, oxidative stress, or viral causes. Vitiligo can start at any age, but usually makes its first appearance between 10-30 years of age. It can be generalized (white patches all over the body), segmental (white patches only on one side of the body) and focal (white patches limited to only one or a few areas of the body).

This condition may be psychologically devastating due to the stigma attached to it. And as vitiligo affects more commonly the younger population, it can affect their self esteem creating problems in matrimonial alliance and other social interactions.

Treatment

The aim of any treatment remains

  • To stop or slow the progression of pigment loss and,
  • Bring back the natural skin color to abnormal white patches

Various treatments (Medical, Light based and Surgical) have been tried for Vitiligo; but there always remain a challenge to achieve the desired results in vitiligo patients.

Medical treatment is given primarily to stabilize the fast spreading vitiligo patches, as the results obtained for repigmentation of existing patches with medical treatment are unreliable and non-satisfactory.

Light based treatments are also found to be not very effective when used alone; thus these are being used only as a supplementation to the surgical treatment. Most of the Light based UV therapies expose both the affected and healthy skin while UVB laser targets only the affected areas, which minimizes the risk of injury to the surrounding healthy areas and significantly reduces recovery times. We, at Aura have UVB laser which produces short pulses of 295 – 350 nm light, that has been demonstrated to treat white patches.

Surgical options available for vitiligo treatment are suction blister grafting / punch grafting, cultured melanocyte suspension transplant and non-cultured melanocyte suspension transplant.

We at Aura Skin Institute, have devised an innovative surgical technique called LA-PEEST (Laser Assisted, PRP Enriched Epidermal Suspension Transplant) which is the new hope for stable vitiligo patients who have cosmetically disfiguring patches over exposed parts. This is a very new surgical technique which makes use of high fluence ablative laser for denuding vitiligo patches and then covering them with patients’ own normal skin tissue of much smaller size admixed in suspension of platelet rich plasma (PRP). PRP is nothing but one’s own blood which is concentrated by special techniques and contains millions of growth factors in very high concentration. It helps in faster healing and also initiates a cascade of signals for restoration of normal pigmentation. LA-PEEST helps in attaining faster repigmentation matching the normal skin as early as 2 to 3 months without leaving any scars or tell-tale signs of surgery. This surgical technique LA-PEEST for the treatment of vitiligo is being widely acclaimed and was selected as an ‘AWARD PAPER’ in the prestigious conference ‘World Congress of Cosmetic Surgery 2017’ held at Bangalore, INDIA from 4th – 6th May, 2017.

Procedure

The procedure is done under local anaesthesia. In this procedure,

  1. First a very thin layer of the skin from the healthy donor area of body (usually lateral side of upper thigh) is taken using a dermatome or grafting knife. The dermo-epidermal layer of this skin containing melanocytes is processed in trypsin solution in an incubator. In the meantime, PRP is prepared by drawing 10ml of venous blood from the patient. After this, a the trypsinized epidermal fragments are admixed with platelet rich plasma and a suspension is prepared.
  2. Then the area of white patch to be treated is denuded with the use of Er:YAG laser.
  3. Finally the PRP enriched epidermal suspension is transplanted over this denuded, depigmented site and covered with a special dressing which is removed after 14 days.

The pigmentation starts appearing within 2 weeks of the surgery and significant results are noticed in 2-3 months time.

FAQs About Vitiligo / Leukoderma Treatment

Vitiligo is a disease in which some white spots occur on the skin which leaves cosmetically very disfiguring effects especially on individuals with dark skin types (like we Indians). This can sometimes lead to shattered self-confidence and serious psychological problems like depression and suicidal tendencies. We, at AuraSkinInstitute offer you the latest and most effective dermato-surgical treatment (Laser Assisted, PRP Enriched Epidermal Suspension Transplant) for stable vitiligo patches. This gives you amazing results and achieves nearly complete repigmentation of the skin in 75-85% of the patients. If you have any doubts regarding this treatment, then here is a list of some main FAQs and their answers to clear your worries and concerns. Have a look!!.

  • What is Vitiligo / Leukoderma? What causes Vitiligo?
    1. Vitiligo / Leukoderma are depigmentary disorders in which irregular, white patches appear on different parts of the body, because melanocytes (the cells which form melanin pigment) in the skin are destroyed or stop functioning. It has more striking and disfiguring effects especially on individuals with ethnic (like Indians or Asians) or dark skin types.
    2. The exact cause of vitiligo is still unknown and it can be associated with autoimmune, neural, genetic, oxidative stress or viral causes.
  • What are various treatments available for Vitiligo?
  • The treatment for Vitiligo is divided into 3 types:
    1. Medical: using immune-modulating drugs like systemic and topical corticosteroids, minocycline, levamisole and vitamin supplementation. Medical treatment is good option for stabilizing the fast spreading vitiligo, but the results obtained for repigmentation of existing patches with medical treatment are unreliable and non-satisfactory.
    2. Light based: PUVA and NB-UVB phototherapy to the whole body and targeted phototherapy by UVB laser, Excimer laser and Excimer lamp. But these therapies produce dotted repigmentation which is cosmetically not well accepted, thus are generally used as supplementary therapy to vitiligo surgery.
    3. Surgical: The aim of surgical treatment is to bring back natural color to the abnormal white patches which are resistant to conventional therapies. It is done by complete skin transfers from healthy, pigmented areas or using the latest cell transplantation technique.
  • What are types of Vitiligo surgery and who needs it?
  • Vitiligo surgery is recommended for areas which are cosmetically disfiguring and resistant to medical treatment. Vitiligo surgery aims at restoration of normal pigmented skin through surgical means, which can be:
    1. Complete skin transfers: by suction blister grafting / punch grafting.
    2. Cell transplantations: there are various methods available like cultured melanocyte suspension transplant and non-cultured melanocyte suspension transplant. LA-PEEST or laser assisted PRP enriched epidermal suspension transplant is the latest, innovative and the most effective treatment for stable vitiligo patches as of now and the procedure is giving exemplary results. It achieves nearly complete repigmentation of the skin in 75-85% of the patients.
  • What types of Vitiligo patches are treatable?
  • The patches which are stable and not spreading for past 3 months are treatable. Even the large areas of white patches can be treated at all body parts including delicate areas like upper eyelids, under arms and groins.
  • Do you need anaesthesia for this surgery?
  • Yes, the procedure is done under local anaesthesia.
  • How long does this treatment take? When do the results start showing up?
    1. The duration of the surgery depends upon the size of area being treated. Usually it takes 2-3 hours. The dressing is removed after 14 days.
    2. The earliest pigmentation starts within 2 weeks of surgery and the significant repigmentation is noticed in 2 to 3 months.
  • Is it a plastic surgery or what?
  • Yes, it is a type of plastic surgery. In this procedure, after taking skin from the healthy donor area of body, its epidermal layer containing melanocytes is separated using various solutions; and then PRP enriched epidermal suspension is made which is then transplanted over the denuded, depigmented vitiligo site.
  • Any dietary restrictions?
  • No, dietary restrictions are required for this treatment. Infact, you are advised to stay on high protein, nutritious diet for better healing.
  • Any side effects of this Vitiligo surgical treatment?
  • Laser assisted PRP enriched epidermal suspension transplant is a very safe and effective treatment for stable Vitiligo. It has no significant side effects, provided it is done by fully trained and expert Dermatologist taking strict aseptic precautions.

"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."

Maya Angelou
Aura Skin Institute makes every effort to bring that beauty in you :)

Testimonials View All

Gurpreet, Student, Chandigarh
"Thanks Dr. Suruchi for infusing a new leash of life into me. You are next to God for me"
I had ugly white patches on my left forearm and arm. I had tried many treatments but nothing really worked. Then I came to know about Dr. Suruchi's new Laser-assisted surgical technique for vitiligo. She did this transplant surgery on my arm in single sitting. Now after 3 months of surgery, the white patch is no longer visible. The results are so natural that I just cant believe it! My life has completely changed. Thanks!

Gurpreet, Student, Chandigarh

Ravinder Mann, Banker, Chandigarh
Thanks to Dr. Suruchi Garg for delivering excellent results for a horrible looking vitiligo patch on my face. Her technique of LA-PEEST surgery is very unique, simple and safe. It has given me such good cosmetic match that now nobody can notice the white patch on my face. I sincerely want that all patients of vitiligo should go to Aura Skin Institute for this new treatment which is not available anywhere else in this part of the country.

Ravinder Mann, Banker, Chandigarh

Dermato Surgeries: Worries

SKIN WORRIES!!!

AuraSkinInstitute offers you the latest "No stitch" Dermato-surgical techniques for all your skin and hair problems, including hair transplantation, vitiligo surgery, ingrown toenails remedy, moles and warts solution and repair of torn ear lobes.. We assure you effective treatments with best results. Our panel of fully trained experts promise excellent outcomes by the use of our world-class techniques and equipments. So, what to worry about!!! Just come to us and get a youthful skin, you always craved for!

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Results Gallery View All

Vitiligo Surgery

Results after 2 months of LA-PEEST vitiligo surgery.

Results after 3 months of Treatment

The lady was suffering from vitiligo or leukoderma and her white patches on nose were treated with Laser Assisted, PRP Enriched Epidermal Suspension Transplant surgery.

Results at 8 Weeks of Vitiligo Surgery

Results at 8 weeks of vitiligo surgery in a patient having stable vitiligo on his leg.