The Complete Guide To Vitiligo Corner 2009

ARTICLES AND COMMENTS FROM 2008
WRITTEN AND COMPILED BY NATHALIE PELLETIER

Vitiligo Corner 2009
Table of Contents
What is Vitiligo? ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
What Causes Vitiligo?............................................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Vitiligo Symptoms .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 8
Life with Vitiligo ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
XTRAC treatments with a new twist ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10
5 Comments..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11
How’s the first week of XTRAC? ........................................................................................................................................................................... 11
One Comment.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 12
Does vitiligo rob you of life? ................................................................................................................................................................................. 13
Shake away the funk ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 14
2 Comments..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 15
Are you using affirmations? ................................................................................................................................................................................. 16
Could someone crush black pepper? .................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Doctors, scientists, please, find a cure. ................................................................................................................................................................. 18
One Comment.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 19
Tanning bed as an alternative .............................................................................................................................................................................. 20
2 Comments..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21
Jason’s vitiligo experiment update ....................................................................................................................................................................... 22
How you might be able to get free vitiligo treatments .......................................................................................................................................... 24
Stress, vitiligo, relief through EFT ......................................................................................................................................................................... 30
3 Comments..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 30
Have you tried EFT to help your vitiligo? .............................................................................................................................................................. 32
Could Chickpeas (urad) cure vitiligo? .................................................................................................................................................................... 34
Is the medical community searching for a vitiligo cure?........................................................................................................................................ 36
The promise held in vitiligo patents ..................................................................................................................................................................... 39
Visit Vitiligo Corner Visit Vitiligo Cover Lotion

Page 2
Urad, turmeric, vitiligo experiment ...................................................................................................................................................................... 42

8 Comments..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 43
Vitamin D and vitiligo ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 45
5 Comments..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 47
Vitiligo Metabolic/Biochemical Hypothesis........................................................................................................................................................... 49
Neural hypothesis for vitiligo ............................................................................................................................................................................... 50
One Comment.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 51
Vitiligo treatments series: Corticosteroids ............................................................................................................................................................ 52
Vitiligo in history: Henry Moss.............................................................................................................................................................................. 53
Did Cuba have a cure for vitiligo? ......................................................................................................................................................................... 54
18 Comments................................................................................................................................................................................................... 57
Breathe for healthy skin ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 59
Piperine Research Update .................................................................................................................................................................................... 61
4 Comments..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 62
Do you ever feel like you’re alone? ...................................................................................................................................................................... 63
4 Comments..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 64
Can toxic chemicals trigger vitiligo?...................................................................................................................................................................... 65
7 Comments..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 66
Our first vitiligo virtual meet-up ........................................................................................................................................................................... 68
One Comment.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 69
Chickpeas cure leukoderma, Banaras University scientists claim .......................................................................................................................... 70
24 Comments................................................................................................................................................................................................... 71
Chickpea recipes that I enjoy................................................................................................................................................................................ 76
Chickpeas for vitiligo: straight from the scientist .................................................................................................................................................. 78
14 Comments................................................................................................................................................................................................... 79
Does your skin need a shrink? .............................................................................................................................................................................. 81

Page 3
3 Comments..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 84
Hypothyroidism, excimer laser re-pigmentation................................................................................................................................................... 85
9 Comments..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 86
Vitiligo repigmentation photos ............................................................................................................................................................................. 88
Celiac research may hold clues to vitiligo cure...................................................................................................................................................... 89
3 Comments..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 90
How does protopic work on vitiligo? .................................................................................................................................................................... 91
8 Comments..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 93
Excimer laser treatments august 2009 update ..................................................................................................................................................... 95
Does stress trigger vitiligo? .................................................................................................................................................................................. 96
Will a break in laser treatments yield change? ..................................................................................................................................................... 97
7 Comments..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 99
Does bioperine stimulate repigmentation? ........................................................................................................................................................ 101
2 Comments................................................................................................................................................................................................... 102
Something Can Be Done For Vitiligo ................................................................................................................................................................... 103
Vitiligo Cures From Around The World ............................................................................................................................................................... 105
Dr Spritz’s vitiligo genetic study ......................................................................................................................................................................... 106
4 Comments................................................................................................................................................................................................... 108
Vitiligo Survey .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 108
3 Comments................................................................................................................................................................................................... 110
Have you built a wall of protection? ................................................................................................................................................................... 111
Vitiligo conference in london, england ............................................................................................................................................................... 113
One Comment................................................................................................................................................................................................ 115
My first ebook is published ................................................................................................................................................................................ 116
Happy in her second skin ................................................................................................................................................................................... 117
Animals can also develop vitiligo, too ................................................................................................................................................................. 120

Page 4
Prostaglandin E2 based vitiligo treatment .......................................................................................................................................................... 121

5 Comments................................................................................................................................................................................................... 122
What do you do to feel better about vitiligo? ..................................................................................................................................................... 122
2 Comments................................................................................................................................................................................................... 123
Darcel: vitiligo set no limits for her success ........................................................................................................................................................ 124
Vitiligo conference update ................................................................................................................................................................................. 126
Find inspiration anywhere.................................................................................................................................................................................. 130
How are you going to conquer vitiligo in 2010? .................................................................................................................................................. 132
About the Author ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 133

Page 5
What is Vitiligo?
Vitiligo is quite a common skin disease which affects at least 2 people in every 100 in countries throughout the world. Anyone,
male or female, irrespective of skin color or ethnic origin can develop the condition.
Vitiligo causes the skin, and sometimes the hair, to turn white in patches. This is because melanocytes, the cells
which give the skin its color, have either been damaged or destroyed. The disease can spread, rapidly or slowly,
to cover the entire body surface (universal vitiligo) but this is not inevitable. The most common form of vitiligo
appears in symmetrical form (generalized vitiligo) affecting both sides of the body. In some cases only one half of the body is
affected (segmental vitiligo) and this type has limited progression and is more difficult to treat. Vitiligo can begin at any age,
though about fifty percent of people develop it before the age of twenty.
You cannot catch vitiligo. It is not infectious. Although there are no physical symptoms apart from sunburn in the white patches if
they are not protected from the sun, it can cause severe psychological distress, especially when the face, neck, hands and genitals
are affected. Although the disease is more noticeable on dark or tanned skin the degree of distress is not necessarily linked to
skin color or to the extent of the disease. However, people with dark skin from certain ethnic groups who develop vitiligo may
feel particularly stigmatized and fear a loss of identity should the disease become widespread.
The course of vitiligo is unpredictable. Some people may not notice a change in their condition for many years, while for others it
can spread quite rapidly. In some cases the white patches can spontaneously repigment, particularly in children, though it is rare
for the disease to resolve completely without treatment. http://www.vitiligosociety.org.uk

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What Causes Vitiligo?

We have some idea of what is happening in vitiligo but are less clear about why it is happening. We know that
pigment cells are not functioning in the white patches although some of them do survive both in the skin and
also in the hair follicles in the white patches. Many theories exist to explain the loss of pigment; the most
popular is the autoimmune theory which means that the body’s own immune system is attacking the pigment
cells.
It has also been recently established that genes play an important role in predisposing some people to vitiligo, especially those
who have other autoimmune diseases, in particular thyroid disease, or who have family members who suffer from vitiligo or
these diseases. This discovery strengthens the autoimmune theory.
Other theories which have been proposed include the neuronal theory which suggests that the nerves in the skin are implicated
in the damage to pigment cells and the oxidative stress theory based on the breakdown of anti-oxidant defenses in the skin or in
the pigment cell itself. In addition, high levels of hydrogen peroxide which is toxic to pigment cells have been found in the skin of
people with vitiligo.
It is also recognized that environmental factors such as psychological stress, hormonal changes including puberty and childbirth,
trauma to the skin, and even exposure to certain chemicals may trigger the disease and could play an important role in its
development and progression.
http://www.vitiligosociety.org.uk

Page 7
Vitiligo Symptoms
The main sign of vitiligo is pigment loss that produces milky-white patches (depigmentation) on your skin.
Other less common signs may include:
* Premature whitening or graying of the hair on your scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows or beard
* Loss of color in the tissues that line the inside of your mouth (mucous membranes)
* Loss or change in color of the inner layer of your eye (retina)
Although any part of your body may be affected by vitiligo, depigmentation usually develops first on sun-exposed areas of your
skin, such as your hands, feet, arms, face and lips. Although it can start at any age, vitiligo often first appears between the ages of
20 and 30. Vitiligo generally appears in one of three patterns:
* Focal. Depigmentation is limited to one or a few areas of your body.
* Segmental. Loss of skin color occurs on only one side of your body.
* Generalized. Pigment loss is widespread across many parts your body.
The natural course of vitiligo is difficult to predict. Sometimes the patches stop forming without treatment. In other cases,
pigment loss can involve most of the surface of your skin.

Page 8
Life with Vitiligo

A diagnosis of vitiligo can seem like a life sentence as the unpredictable course of the disease means no-one can
be sure how it will progress and until a cure is found people with vitiligo must learn to live with it. There are, of
course, treatments that can improve the condition, and sometimes this improvement can last for many
years. But there is always the fear that the white patches may return and spread more widely than before.
Most people after they have been diagnosed experience a range of feelings and emotions including shock, denial, anger, fear,
guilt, anxiety, isolation, depression and finally acceptance. A lot of people never get to the last stage and many can become
overwhelmed by low self-esteem and lack of confidence. Some people with vitiligo never really fulfill their potential and many
children are teased and bullied with some reported cases of underachievement at school.
However, vitiligo need not prevent you from doing what you want in life, once you realize it does not have to take over your life
and is only part of who you are. Focusing on your good points and building up your self-esteem will help to put vitiligo in
perspective. Self-confidence, once achieved, should make it easier for you to deal with intrusive staring and rude remarks and go
out in public without feeling ashamed or ugly. Not many people can boost their confidence without help. Although support from
friends and family is essential you may find a course of counseling helpful.
It is not surprising that people stare at the sight of vitiligo because it looks strange and they do not know what it is. They may
recoil because they are afraid of catching it. Explaining what it is can help to dispel their fears but you are not obliged to talk
about it. You are entitled to choose how much or how little you discuss it, especially with strangers. Be prepared with a few
simple explanatory phrases. “It is vitiligo, a condition that affects the pigment cells in my skin. They are not functioning properly
or are missing from my skin and that causes these white patches which can burn easily in the sun if I do not protect my skin. It is
not life-threatening and it is not catching”. Humor is another way of dealing with rude or insensitive remarks. Try to have a few
funny remarks up your sleeve to use when the occasion arises.
Having vitiligo is not a tragedy although the loss of your skin color can also appear to threaten your racial identity if you have dark
brown or black skin. The color of your skin is not the only thing that makes you who you are. Family background and upbringing,
personality, education, cultural and religious beliefs, the country you live in, are more important in defining you as a person.

Page 9
Vitiligo Corner Posts

2009
XTRAC treatments with a new twist

4 January 2009 5 Comments
Hi everyone! A new year, a new way of doing my laser treatments. After getting twice-a-week treatments (off & on) for a year, I
saw some good results, but we want to see more pigmentation. Because I noticed that a few summers ago,when I sat in the sun
each day for 15 min, there was a lot of pigmentation, we figured that perhaps treatments more often would produce better
results. Beginning tomorrow, Monday, January 5, I will have 3 Xtrac treatments per week.
I will photograph my hands 1 per week and post them online each Monday to show progress. I will also take my B12 and Folic
Acid supplements each day without fail.
Here’s to a new year!!

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5 Comments
shaz said:
Really looking forward to your progress and those pictures. Happy New Year!# 5 January 2009 at 5:45 pm
alex said:
All the best Dear!!!!!!!!1Happy new year!!!!!!# 6 January 2009 at 7:23
bothered said:
hope things keep getting better for you. We hope it improves things for all. Happy New Year.# 7 January 2009 at 10:26 pm
Nathalie Pelletier (author) said:
@shaz, i’m looking forward to posting the results! fingers crossed,yeah? Happy new year!
@alex, thanks so much…all the best in the new year to you and your family!
@bothered, things are going really well, thank you so much for caring. Happiest new year to you, too!
sorry it’s taken so long to reply, as you can see i’ve been quite busy re-doing the site. hope you like it!
nathalie xx# 8 January 2009 at 10:55 pm
delta2020 said:
Hi EVERONE and this massage to Nathalie it April 09 you started XTRAC treatment in Jan 09 but did you start this XTRAC
treatment before because you said: After getting twice-a-week treatments (off & on) for a year, is this XTRAC treatment or is this
other treatment. because if this XTRAC takes year to see any improvement than you have to spend thounsand of pound to see
any improvement which is not value for money specially those people can’t aford to pay for XTRAC treatment. IF any one can tell
me how much does it cost for per XTRAC TREATMENT,
Regards, UK LON. # 13 April 2009 at 6:53 am
How’s the first week of XTRAC?

8 January 2009 One Comment
My visit to the dermatologist, Dr. Ring, went well on Monday. Because it had been over a month since my last XTRAC laser
treatment, we decided to go down to 220 mJ (don’t quote me on the scientific term, but I know it was 220 something). Tuesday
and Wednesday I showed a bit of burning, so we decided to skip the Wed. treatment so as to avoid further burning. My next
appointment is tomorrow.
Jamie, the assistant who does my treatments, is very careful to steer clear of over-treating. Even though we have found that
burned areas re-pigment quicker, the long-term effects are unknown and not worth the risk. I’m glad she’s got my back on that-
and my hands, knees, and face.

Page 11
One Comment
julie said:
Hi Nathalie,
How much does the laser cost? Im really interested and desperate on doing the laser treatment..I dont know if my insurance will
cover it and spreading rapidly on my body. I havent seen any on my face yet but im worry that one day ill wake up and see a
spot…I love this site…Julie
# 6 February 2009 at 2:08 am

Page 12
Does vitiligo rob you of life?

12 January 2009 No Comment
The most common complaint I hear from my readers and vitiligo friends is that they feel like vitiligo has robbed them of a chance
for a normal life. In some cases, this could be true; after all, it’s common knowledge that anyone who strays from a certain
socially acceptable look, may face discrimination. But, for every human being on earth, life is what you make it.
Take, for example, Stephen Hawking. With all of his many challenges, he still managed to rise to the top of his field. Or, watch a
Special Olympics game one day and try to walk away from that without pride in the human spirit.
I’m not saying that it’s wrong to not like having vitiligo, but placing blame on it for an unhappy life is only a crutch…and you don’t
need it. Every single person on earth has something special to offer and that includes you. Your personality and the things you do,
define you as a person, not how you look. Think I’m wrong? Surely at one time or another in your life, you have met someone
who you considered beautiful or handsome, but their actions or the way they spoke were not nice so you no longer saw this
person as attractive. Or, take someone who you didn’t find particularly good-looking, but as you got to know them, their
personality made them shine beautifully from the inside out.
It’s not easy to live with vitiligo. You may struggle to feel good about your appearance, but please know that at the end of the
day, it is your actions and personality that touches people. And, isn’t that why we are all here anyway?
Relish in your passions
Touch peoples lives
Live

Page 13
Shake away the funk

14 January 2009 2 Comments
Definition of a funk: lack of motivation and low energy
Are you in a funk? Feeling a bit grumpy and disengaged from life in general? Persistent bad moods can absolutely lead to health
problems. Do yourself a favor and seek out some healthy outlets for releasing depressive thoughts and squelching lack-luster
activities.
8 Healthy ideas to shake yourself out of a funk
1. Go for a walk – I’m not talking about a marathon here. If you can only manage a walk around the block, you’ll be better for it.
Exercise releases endorphins which will naturally make you feel happier. Be sure to take in some deep breaths; it will get the
oxygen flowing to your brain.
2. Do a Random Act of Kindness - If you focus less on your issues and take time to make someone else’s day special, you will feel
great afterwards.
3. Clear out the clutter – One of the quickest ways to generate mental energy is by throwing out useless things in your home and/
or organizing closets and drawers. This may sound like daunting work, but it is totally energizing once you see the finished
product.
4. Try a new recipe – We all get in the habit of eating and preparing the same foods again and again. Why not try a new recipe?
Get on the internet and find something cool to make. Maybe you won’t like it, but so what! Adopt an adventuresome spirit to
invite a little fun in your day.
5. Do something out of your comfort zone – Don’t you love the idea of getting up in front of a group of people and singing? No?
Does it intimidate you a little? Good. Run to the nearest karaoke club and sing a song…it’ll really get your adrenaline pumping.
6. Walk barefoot in the grass – Spending time with nature is great way to feel better. Put on your hiking boots and get lost for a
couple hours near a babbling brook. Or, do some gardening. The sense of accomplishment will be immensely satisfying.
7. Watch a funny movie – Forgo the tear-jerkers and dramas at the theater this time around. You need a good belly-laugh to
break that funk. You can do this from home or venture out alone to the movie– hey, this may cover the “do something out of your
comfort zone” suggestion, too.
8. Pamper yourself - Do whatever it is that brings you the most joy. It might be indulging in a bubble bath, reading a good novel,
or going out to get your hair styled…don’t you just love having your hair washed at the salon?
You deserve to feel great, so pick one of these suggestions and shake yourself out of this funk.

Page 14
2 Comments
Liam Alexander said:
These are all great strategies. I often find just going for a walk works wonders. If I have a problem it allows me to take a step back
from it and approach it from a different angle, then I usually find an easy solution. Perhaps I’ll take your advice and pamper
myself a bit more often too.# 20 January 2009 at 9:21 pm
nel said:
It doesnt really matter . i have tried all of these things and the reality always comes back and hit you once the entertainment is
gone # 29 December 2009 at 10:27 pm

Page 15
Are you using affirmations?

We hear a lot about the positive results affirmations can bring, but I’ve always found it tricky to keep doing them. It seems after a
few days I forget to use the affirmation, even if it was something really worthwhile.
When using affirmations it’s very important to state them in the positive (what you do want instead of what you don’t) and also
useful to, as far as possible, state the affirmation as if you are ready have it, or are at least expecting it, rather that stating it as a
hope or wish. For example:
“I don’t want to feel fearful when flying on a plane” will get the mind tuning into fear, so this is not a good affirmation to use.
“I want to feel calm when flying on a plane” This is better but by wanting it, you presuppose that you do not yet have it.
“I can be calm when flying on a plane.” This gives us positive possibility, but it is missing certainty.
“I am calm when flying on a plane” This is the best option, but only if you believe it. There is no point in using an affirmation if, in
the back of your mind you feel it is a lie.
“I will be calm when flying on a plane” This is also a good option as you are telling yourself what positive experience you can
expect in the future and it’s also ok if you are not yet totally calm. The affirmation can still be true even if in the moment of now
you still feel a little fearful.
* Remember, affirmations work for any emotion you may feel so if you’re not afraid of flying, just plug in some other emotion. For
example, “I feel good about myself” or “I enjoy interacting with other people”.
Now here is a great way to always use your affirmations. Create a short hand code for it, and use it as your password; for
example, your login password for your email. That way you affirm it to yourself every time you check your emails! By using a code
you also create safer passwords.
So “I will be calm when flying on a plane” becomes “1wbcwf0ap” The 1 being a substitute for I and the 0 being a substitute for o.
Or you could use “Bc1m0np1ns” which could stand for “Be calm on planes.”
Give it a go and see how you get on.
Gemma Bailey

Page 16
Could someone crush black pepper?

Nathalie,
I read your article about pepper possibly improving repigmentation in vitiligo patients. I have had vitiligo for nearly 10
years. However, it is a very mild case and was not exposed on my face until a few years ago.
My dermatologist has put me on a topical cream that doesn’t seem to do much for me. I applied it for three months with little to
no improvements. I actually seemed to have more success without the medicine on my face.
My case seems to be based on stress. Vitiligo didn’t even break out on my face until I had a breakup with a girl I dated for three
years. At the time I was very depressed and the vitiligo became noticeable on my face.
Since then I got married and am living a very happy life. However, the vitiligo is still noticeable when I am not dying my
beard. My question to you is….How could someone crush up the black pepper small enough to be absorbed and could it be mixed
with Vaseline for application? I was also curious about your thoughts on home UVB lights. Could these be beneficial for use if
exposure was very minimal. I can’t afford the treatments at the dermatologist. I would really like to do laser treatments (Excimer
laser). However, that is well out of my budget as well.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I really enjoyed your article.
Gabe

Page 17
Doctors, scientists, please, find a cure.

3 February 2009 One Comment
A submitted story:
I first noticed a white spot under my chin about a year and a half to two years ago. I am 21. It spread quickly, and now I have
white patches on my chin, neck, and face. I have to look at it every single day on my face. At first I didn’t pay much attention, but
for the last year, it is impossible to ignore. I feel frustrated, always hearing that there is “no cure at this time”.
There is no way to get used to it. Every day I look in the mirror, and I am either angry, depressed, or disgusted.
I have tried herbal treatments, an oil ointment, and I have been seeing a “natural medicine doctor” who is doing a NMT
neuromodulation technique. After six months, no success.
I read Lee Thomas’ story, the ABC reporter who has vitiligo, and many people who shared their experience with it. It is motivating
to see someone dealing positively with the disease, but it didn’t change how I feel about having it.
There needs to be more awareness of this disease, and a cure.
Doctors, researchers, scientists, please. Get on it. For God’s Sake.

Page 18
One Comment
Niche Marketing said:
Excellent content here and a nice writing style too – keep up the great work!# 6 February 2009 at 11:56 pm

Page 19
Tanning bed as an alternative

12 February 2009 2 Comments
Hi Nathalie,
I am experimenting with taking B12, folic acid, and Vit. C. I have had positive results, but I have read that one needs sunlight to
help gain further repigmentation. Can you let me know the recommended time one can sit in the tanning bed without being in
danger of burning. Thank you very much for all your useful information.
Gabe
Hi Gabe
The vitamins you are taking match with what others have used and experienced re-pigmentation. Also, think about adding
vitamin D because studies show that low vitamin D is associated with autoimmune diseases- of which vitiligo is one.
I experienced a lot of re-pigmentation from sitting in the sun for 15-30 minutes per day in the summer and my excimer xtrac laser
treatments are showing some very positive results since going from 1 to 3 visits per week. However, the excimer laser utilizes
narrow-band UVB (not UVA) to target only the white patches. I can tell you two things about going to a tanning salon: 1) make
sure the tanning bed uses narrow band UVB bulbs and B) you’re going to tan all of your skin, not just the white patches, so it may
look a little worse before it gets better. I tried that a couple of years ago and stopped after 3 times because I was embarrassed
coming out of the booth- sad, but true.
I would talk to your dermatologist about the recommended time to spend in a tanning bed, just to be sure.
all the best,
Nathalie

Page 20
2 Comments
John said:
What do you mean by narrow band UVB?# 13 February 2009 at 2:46 pm
Mayra said:
I have had Vitiligo since i was nine. About a year and a half ago, i started usuing clobestasol and had amazing results on my knees
and elbows!! i was really excited, and i have started wearing shorts again in public, but i’ve noticed that my hands are not
reacting at all. I read about these vitamins online a couple of weeks ago and have started taking folic acid and b12… i was
wondering if anyone has had any luck with these vitamins and vitligo in their hands?
thanks!
Mayra
# 17 February 2009 at 11:45 am

Page 21
Jason’s vitiligo experiment update

17 February 2009 134 Comments
I have to tell you that I am quite surprised by how long I have persevered with the whole regime. Sometimes I think it has been
‘overkill, ‘ but my use of several therapies in combination is a deliberate strategy. As I stated, I tend to use several treatments in
moderation, rather than relying on frequent use of a single therapy. For example, this means that I limit NB UVB to 1-2x per
week, rather than every second day, and piperine 1-2x per week rather than daily. The only thing I do daily is to pop a normal B-
group multivitamin and a herbal (ayurvedic) pill that contains psoralens.
Anyway, I don’t want people to get any idea that this is a quick miracle cure, because it isn’t. On the other hand, there has been
undoubted and considerable improvement in my condition, so it’s probably worth sharing the experience.
As a final note, the improvement I have achieved is still only partial, but good enough that cosmetic covers work much more
effectively – i.e. it is quite easy to cover the vitiligo for a temporary period (as required) whereas it was almost impossible before.
Happy to continue sharing experiences here.
Thanks for your email. Regards, Jason Kaminski.
feb 8, 2009
Hi all,I promised to send an update on my trial of vitiligo treatment using NB UVB light followed by application of piperine
suspended in a vegetable oil. I have been using this treatment 1 – 2x per week, not every second day as is normally
recommended. I started doing this around 6 months ago.
So that all the facts are ‘on the table,’ I should add that I occasionally take the recommended vitamin/herbal supplements
(Vitamin B + psoralen-containing herbs) as well as applying mineral salts directly to the skin from time to time – e.g. dead sea
mud.
I can best describe progress as ’satisfactory.’ The improvement is definitive, but gradual. I estimate that I have achieved complete
repigmentation (between the thighs) in 40-50% of the skin area. I have achieved moderate repigmentation (including freckling)
over an additional 20-30% of the skin area. About 20-30% of the skin has not repigmented back to normal skin tone, though it has
become a little darker.
From a cosmetic perspective, the result is pleasing, but not ideal. The general pattern of progress is for brown spots to appear,
then for the spots to merge into an even area of normally pigmented skin. The spottiness is not appealing from a cosmetic
perspective. On the other hand, the reduction in the size of the affected area is pleasing, and the general darkening of the skin
means that the vitiligo is not really visible in dim light – e.g. in reduced light inside a room. Pior to trying this treatment, the skin
was so white that it was visible even in very dim light.
Overall, I think this treatment is worth pursuing if the vitiligo occurs on an area of the body that is limited and if it is in a
convenient position for light exposure. The progress is gradual, so patience and perseverance is definitely required.

Page 22
I am going to continue to treat myself in this way for another 6 months to see if the repigmentation continues to 100% of the skin
area. I am only using UVB once or twice a week so it’s not too onerous. I limit exposure to 3.5 minutes for each patch of vitiligo
and only apply the piperine on every second day.
In summary, I think that:
- Using several treatment strategies in moderation (as I have done) has not had any apparent side effects, but the risk of doing
so is NOT KNOWN – i.e. although my research indicates that the treatment I describe here is relatively safe, each person chooses
what risk they are prepared to take in trialling different therapies
- NB UVB is undoubtedly the most important factor in getting good results: there was little improvement before I started using
NB UVB
- Piperine MAY play a part in speeding up repigmentation: I have no way of telling if progress would have been slower with UVB
treatment alone
- Taking vitamins and psoralen-containing herbs DOES seem to support repigmentation: I have noticed improvement around the
eyes where I do NOT use UVB light or piperine for obvious reasons
- Using mineral salts MAY be useful – I have had encouraging signs using mineral-rich skin treatments such as dead sea mud and
other salts as a ‘pseudo-catalase’ (look this term up on Google for further explanation).
I hope this information is useful. I will provide another update in the near future.
Jason K……

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How you might be able to get free vitiligo treatments

28 February 2009 No Comment
I’m sure by now the amount of money you have spent trying potential cures for vitiligo may be close to $1000. Isn’t it time to see
if you are eligible to get some help? Vitiligo treatments using the Photomedex XTRAC Excimer Laser are covered by some health
insurance companies. Does yours? Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
1. Call your insurance provider and ask if they cover the XTRAC Excimer Laser treatments for patients diagnosed with vitiligo– tell
them you have a diagnosis code, 709.01
2. Your doctor or dermatologist’s office will need to send a pre-determination letter to your insurance provider because you will
need to prove that it is medically necessary.
3. If you don’t have a dermatologist, ask your insurance provider for the names of a few dermatologist in your area. Call each to
find out if the provide XTRAC Excimer Laser, or you can go to the Photomedex website to do a search.
Comprehensive healing plan
4 March 2009 No Comment
Note: This article was originally written to assist those with auto-immune illnesses, but after writing it I realised it could be of
assistance to anyone with a chronic physical illness or chronic pain. While some of the specifics might not apply to your case, the
article shows a possible comprehensive approach to healing. I consider auto-immune illnesses to include all of the following:
chronic fatigue syndrome/ME, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple food or chemical sensitivities or allergies (for just one or two
specific allergies, see instead Common Sense Uses of EFT for Allergies), AIDs, recurrent thrush, systemic candidiasis, chronic
sinusitis, cancer etc.
Anyone with any autoimmune issues will have no doubt been through the mill – visiting all sorts of doctors, all sorts of tests (a lot
of which aren’t helpful) and trying all sorts of ‘alternative’ practices. What I’ve learnt over the last 25 years on my journey of
healing from chronic fatigue syndrome and systemic candidiasis is that we need a comprehensive approach, which while it may
look overwhelming to start with, is actually the fastest way to return to health.
It’s important to understand with autoimmune challenges that while there are so many symptoms, and it can seem impossible to
deal with everything, usually the bulk of the symptoms are all being fed by the same core issues, so once you have collapsed
those issues, none of the symptoms bother you any more. The most simplistic way to look at this is it’s like the adrenals are a
burglar alarm, designed to be automatically activated when we are in need of protection and therefore cause the immune system
to go into serious action. With the autoimmune challenges, more often than not the burglar alarm was set off time and time
again earlier in life, due to issues making us feel unsafe, to the point where it becomes trigger happy and is set off by the slightest
thing. Sometimes it is simply one major event that is very traumatic for us at the time, rather than ongoing events, for example, a
stressful birth. Years and years later, the burglars are long gone, and yet the alarm is still continually going off. Alongside of this, if
we have taken on a belief that we are not safe, or not able to protect ourselves as a result of one major trauma or a series of

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ongoing traumas early in life, we are constantly (without realizing it) sending the message to our immune system that we are
vulnerable and can’t protect ourselves. This results in the immune system being confused and malfunctioning. This programme is
designed to find ways to switch the burglar alarm (adrenals) to ‘monitor’, knowing it will go off only when needed, and to clear
the beliefs that are confusing the immune system, so it is able to correctly recognize friend from foe.
1. Sensitivity
I have yet to work with someone with autoimmune issues who does not score highly on the “Highly Sensitive Person” test, and
lot of people with other chronic pain or illnesses score highly as well. Healing issues around sensitivity can make a huge
difference, and the best way I know to do this is to read Rue Hass’ book “This is Where I Stand – The Power and Gift of Being
Sensitive”, and do the EFT tapping she suggests. There is a lot of, in my opinion, unhelpful literature around about highly sensitive
people, so I wouldn’t recommend reading any other books or websites on the topic, those I’ve come across seem to approach
sensitivity as a handicap, rather than seeing it as the incredible strength it is. Rue’s book helps us to see that there isn’t anything
wrong with us, in fact sensitivity, channeled in the right direction, is what the world really needs.
If you are already up and running with EFT, and getting results, I highly recommend reading this book, then sitting down with a
trusted friend, and tapping through the EFT exercises Rue lays out. I suggest that people work with a trusted friend, rather than
alone, because most, if not all, people with autoimmune challenges have major issues around feeling safe, and you can easily be
triggered with feeling unsafe working on your own at the start. If you have not already had good, lasting success with EFT, I
recommend working with a good practitioner for a few sessions first, to ensure that the EFT you are doing is effective, then sitting
with a friend to work through Rue’s tapping suggestions.
2. EFT
If you already have this tool in your toolkit, great! If not, I highly recommend learning it. It literally puts the healing in your own
hands. I recommend three approaches with EFT, to get up and running with it so that you can really move issues properly:
a) Download the free comprehensive e-book “You CAN Heal with EFT” and print and bind a copy for ongoing reference. Work
through the first two sections and try EFT on some simple issues to start with, before using the ideas in the book to start working
on the bigger challenges.
b) If you can, work with a good practitioner, in person, or by phone, for a few sessions, to ensure that you are optimising your use
of EFT. Each person needs to find their own style of working with EFT, and sometimes there are blocks that have to be dealt with
before EFT will be effective for you, for example if deep down you don’t feel you deserve to heal, this needs to be dealt with early
on, or it could result in EFT results only being temporary. If you aren’t able to work with a good practitioner, work through “You
CAN Heal with EFT” with commitment and you may be able to discover any blocks for yourself.
c) Once you have EFT working well, use it for everything. The more you tap for anything that isn’t how you want it to be, the
stronger the signal you are sending to your body that you want to heal. This is very important, because the power of intention is
one of the most powerful forces in the universe, and our intentions are sent out to the universe every moment of every day. If

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you are tapping, you are intending health, rather than sickness and challenges. With auto-immune illnesses it has been shown
time and again that the core belief is often in not feeling safe. The best way to discover these issues is to understand that while
something may have happened that triggered the illness, it may not have been the originating cause. For example, a diagnosis of
a terminal illness in a family member or close friend could trigger our feelings of being unsafe, which have been sitting below our
awareness since a traumatic birth. In these cases it is important to use EFT to work with the originating events, and the beliefs
and point of views we took on as a result of them, as well as clearing the later events that triggered the illness.
3. Focusing
Our culture values the left brain highly, and doesn’t value anything vague or hard to put into words. However the left
brain/conscious mind is not the best suited tool for all tasks. If it was ideally suited to healing, none of us would have any issues,
because we’d just be able to think them through and we’d be done. The right brain is what we need to access in order to heal.
The most effective way I’ve found to do this, is to learn a skill called Focusing. Learning this skill can make your EFT sessions far
more productive, and will give you a tool for life; to help you to deal with anything that comes your way. When you have learnt
Focusing, you are then able to join what I consider to be the most sustainable programme for health – a Focusing Partnership –
where you are able to connect, without cost, with another person who has learnt Focusing, and help each other on your healing
paths. You can find out more about this on the Focusing section of this website. The best way I’ve found to learn Focusing is to
work with a teacher one on one. There is a fabulous teacher working out of Costa Rica, who is charging much lower rates than
anyone else, and is a brilliant teacher. Suzanne teaches Focusing via Skype, enabling you to tap into an amazing resource for life.
Focusing can be quite challenging at the start – don’t be put off and think you just can’t do it if it’s difficult in the beginning. If
once you have tried Focusing, you feel that it’s just not working for you, I highly recommend reading an article When Focusing
isn’t Working.
Once you have learnt Focusing, remember to go within and use it whenever anything upsets you (unless you would prefer to tap
with EFT). As with the statement above under the EFT section, any time you are doing this you are sending out a healing
intention.
4. Tigers
You are probably thinking “There aren’t any tigers where I live, this won’t be relevant to me”, but humour me and read on
anyway, you may be surprised to find just how many tigers you are living with on a daily basis!
Imagine you are camping near a forest, and are sitting inside your tent eating your dinner. You have a cold, and aren’t feeling that
great, so have decided to turn in early and give your body a chance to heal. All of a sudden you see a shadow on the tent, and you
just know that there is a tiger who has decided he wants you to be his dinner. You get out of the tent and start running, the fight
or flight response kicks in automatically, without you even thinking about it. Your heart beat races, blood is pumped to your
limbs…

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The body can’t be in fight/flight mode, and in healing mode at the same time, it’s one or the other. It’s either heal the cold or run
to escape the tiger. If adrenaline is pumping to help you to escape danger, the immune system is sacrificed – there is no point
lying there healing your cold, if you are about to be eaten by a tiger – and our body knows that.
Most people living in the modern world think they are living without any tigers around them, but think again. Every single thing
that causes stress to you is a tiger. Our bodies still operate on the same fight or flight or freeze mechanism that our ancestor
hunters had – stress causes the stress response. Many of us are living constantly with tigers, things that stress us out, and cause
our body to respond by pumping adrenaline etc. This can over time totally exhaust us, and put severe limits on the time available
for our bodies to be in ‘healing mode.
It’s important to have practices in your day that give you some tiger free time, and enable your body to heal. One of the biggest
groups of tigers in our lives is anything that causes us to worry. A simple practice is to devote 5 minutes of each day to listing
down everything that is currently worrying you, then tap through the list with EFT, or Focus on the issues if you prefer. Make sure
you don’t just use this time to list all your worries and not tap or Focus – if you do, the inventory of worries you just create
becomes yet another tiger in your life!
When we are stressed and in pain, it can be difficult to find ways to relax, however relaxation is so important, because it means
tiger free time, and enables your body to really go into healing mode. One of the easiest ways I’ve found to relax, even at times
when I was very ill, is a method called yoga nidra (a relaxation method you can do in any state of health). There is a free MP3 file
that you can download from the Internet, and I highly recommend that if you don’t have another daily relaxation practice, that
you download the file and set aside 45 minutes each day to practice yoga nidra.
Another practice which I cannot recommend too highly to achieve this relaxation is Reiki. See the section below for further details
on this.
5. Reiki
It is important to have a comprehensive approach to healing, and one of the most supportive methods I learnt on my journey
back to health is Reiki. If you are not familiar with this term, you can read an introduction about it in the Reiki section of this
website.
Reiki is a wonderful method that you can use for your own healing, and to help others. While having treatments from someone
else is great, it’s really good to be able to do Reiki for yourself, because then you can have a tiger-free space in your day each day,
while also clearing energetic blocks and getting the energy flowing. If it is at all possible for you to find someone locally who is
teaching Reiki, I highly recommend learning it. Beware anyone charging a fortune to learn this beautiful method, unfortunately
there are people teaching Reiki solely for money. Make sure that you learn with someone who is passionate about Reiki and can
demonstrate to you that they live what they teach, as sadly, there are lots of people who have just done a weekend course and
don’t use Reiki except to make money from. It’s such a support on your journey, it is well worth investing a reasonable sum in
doing the first workshop, but it shouldn’t come at an exorbitant price.

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6. Triple Warmer
Anyone who has an autoimmune challenge is likely to have an overactive triple warmer meridian. The triple warmer meridian is
what governs the fight/flight/freeze response. It’s like the burglar alarm analogy at the start of this paper. It is crucial to find ways
to sedate the triple warmer meridian. All the methods written about above will contribute to this, however there is also a very
simple thing, that most people aren’t aware of, that you can do.
Each of our meridians is more active than the others for approximately 2 hours in each day. The triple warmer meridian is most
prominent between 9 and 11pm. It is very common for people with autoimmune challenges to get into a pattern of not being able
to sleep, and staying up late, but this is counterproductive to sedating the triple warmer. I seriously recommend doing whatever
you need to in order to change your daily pattern, and make sure that you are in bed no later than 10pm. If you find that at first it
is simply impossible to sleep at that hour, then put on the yoga nidra mentioned above, and use the time to deeply relax that
way. You can also use EFT to help change your sleeping patterns if needed, or use Focusing to go within and hear what needs to
be heard in order to change them. This simple thing can make a huge difference for you over time.
7. Nutrition
Our bodies need good nutrition in order to be able to heal. While that’s a simple thing to say, it’s not always as simple to
implement, particularly when we have a health challenge that is constantly sapping our energy. If you are finding it impossible to
eat a good diet, with all the other challenges you are dealing with, the most important thing to do is to relax, because otherwise
your concern about your diet simply becomes another tiger in your life. You will find that as you implement the other aspects of
this programme, you will start to feel better, and your body will want better food. In the meantime, it can be a good idea to take
some high quality multi-vitamins and ensure that you are getting plenty of Vitamin C.
One aspect of nutrition that is prominent in those with autoimmune challenges is allergies. In my experience, both in my own life
and working with others, allergies are simply an extension of the burglar alarm aspect. Once you deal with the core issues
underlying the issues (in my experience usually aspects of feeling unsafe), you will find you are no longer bothered by allergies. I
was reacting to just about every food and every product going, and now have no allergieswhatsoever.
Summary
This paper cannot possibly list every aspect of healing, and some important aspects, such as getting some exercise, have
intentionally been left out, because it is likely that your body will start to crave what it needs once you start to heal.
It is easy, when working within the medical system, for those of us with autoimmune challenges to start to think that perhaps it is
all in our minds. The medical profession simply does not have the understanding required to deal with these issues. Doctors are
trained in disease, not health. They deal with symptoms, rather than causes. While it’s important to do what you need to in terms
of medical support, take with a grain of salt anything doctors say that make you feel like you are losing your mind (making a list of
every comment doctors have made that has affected you, and tapping through each incident with EFT can be very supportive
here.)

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The most important thing to know is this:

YOU CAN HEAL!
There is a reason that you have the challenges that you have, and with the combination of methods above, no matter how sick
you are right now, no matter how many physical challenges you have, you can regain your health. There are enough of us around
now to be living proof of this. I have gone from being so unwell that I was unable to walk down the 5 steps and the 10 metres to
the letterbox to get the mail, or to have enough energy to have a shower, to living a full and productive life, and have great
health, and I am not alone. I recommend staying away from any support groups whose existence is reliant on members of the
club being sick, and instead reading stories about those who have healed, sharing your concerns with them and in doing so being
inspired to heal. http://selfheal4me.com/ComprehensivePlan/

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Stress, vitiligo, relief through EFT

9 March 2009 3 Comments
Could stress/ anxiety be a major factor in triggering vitiligo? From the many people with vitiligo whom I have spoken to,
stress/anxiety does seem to be a major component; however, we need to look deeper into the matter. It’s not merely the act of
being stressed that may be triggering vitiligo, the culprit in this case are the hormones which are released.
Every time you have a stress episode a hormonal chain of events occurs. Picture this, something upsets you: your heart races,
your blood pressure goes up, your digestion process slows down, and glucose is released from the liver. If you stay in this
condition for weeks, months, or years, you are actually making yourself sick.
The human body is designed to react with a fight-or-flight response to stressor as a means of protection. This was necessary when
Neanderthal man needed to escape a predator, but today it is overkill for our complex body systems.
When your brain detects a potentially dangerous situation (eg. the need to lift a car off of a loved one after an accident)
or stressful situation (eg. a death or breakup), your body tries to help you by releasing hormones- epinephrine, cortisol, and
aldostrone. And though these hormones can aid in a time of great need, they can be detrimental when they continually flow
throughout your body. Epinephrine is a steroid that raises your metabolism which causes anxiety. Cortisol slows down your
digestive system which causes stomach aches and other digestive problems. Aldostone raises your blood pressure which, in the
long-term, could lead to heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and more.
This is where EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) comes in. EFT is a psychotherapeutic alternative medicine tool based on a
theory that negative emotions are caused by disturbances in the body’s energy field and that tapping on the meridians while
thinking of a negative emotion alters the body’s energy field, restoring it to “balance.” There are two studies which appear to
show positive outcomes from use of the techniques, but another study has suggested that it is indistinguishable from the placebo
effect. Critics have described the theory behind EFT as pseudoscientific and have suggested that any utility stems from its more
traditional cognitive components, such as distraction from negative thoughts, rather than from manipulation of supposed
“energy meridians”. But the way I figure it, if it works, who cares if it’s because of the meridians or the placebo effect…either
way, you’re feeling stress free and THAT is the whole point. Tomorrow, i will post details on how to use EFT.
3 Comments
Rachel said:
About 4 months ago, a series of extremely stressful events took place in my life, including the loss of my job, a split-up, and
threats by an ex-roommate. I’m a single mom with no support with my 3-year-old child and had to move us out of our house and
move us in with family into an even more stressful environment. Within a period of 3 months, my hands (parts of my arms), arm
pits, knees, calves and pelvic region got covered in white spots. I certainly can see how stress and anxiety could trigger such a
sudden onset of this symptom. But, I’ve had other symptoms as well… Joint pain, head-aches, neck pain, diahrrea, numbness in

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arms and hands, pain in fingers, lowered appetite and wieght loss. When my job ended, I lost my health insurance, but qualified
for state-funded insurance, which took several months to be in effect. Finally, I have a doctor’s appt. in 2 days. My old doctor
wasn’t covered by the new plan, so I had to choose a new doctor, whom I know nothing about. I’m concerned that the new doc
won’t be thorough or wish to hear what I have to say.
# 17 August 2009 at 11:31 am
Steve said:
Sounds like you have the link to Vitiligo, your digestive system. Go and have yourself checked out for any food
allergies/intolerances as well as Celiac disease.
# 20 October 2009 at 12:04 pm
Evan said:
I’m so glad to find others that are going through similar health issues as I am – I thought I was alone! Steve, you mentioned in
another post a digestive Dr. in Seattle – I’m in that area and am interested in who it was (Wangen?). Thanks!
# 17 November 2009 at 8:21 am

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Have you tried EFT to help your vitiligo?

How Does it Work?
Rooted in the ancient principles of acupuncture, EFT is based on the theory that the cause of all negative emotions is a disruption
or blockage in the body’s energy system. These blocks can involve disturbing memories – fears, phobias*, anxiety*, grief,
depression, guilt, shame or worry. EFT involves lightly tapping on specific acupuncture/acupressure points on the face, torso and
hands to gently realign the body’s meridian-energy system. EFT users agree that tapping makes them feel significantly better in a
short period of time.
Medical technology now can quantify what the ancient Chinese knew more than 5,000 years ago. Our bodies and minds have
complex energetic pathways. Electroencephalography (EEG), a brain scan measuring electrical activity, indicates that tapping
decreases mental activity in the central and front portions of the brain. According to Ronald A. Ruden, MD, PhD in his book Why
Tapping Works: Speculations from the Observable Brain, brain chemistry also may be part of the process because stimulation of
acupressure points may enhance the production of neurotransmitters and endorphins, which are chemicals that contribute to a
sense of wellbeing and stress relief.
EFT combines two powerful forms of energy – intention energy and kinesthetic energy. Intention or “thought energy” is activated
through verbal statements that focus on the problem. By focusing on the problem with a simple “reminder phrase” the body
locates the blockage(s) in the energy pathways related to that specific problem. Beginners are encouraged not to worry too much
about the words chosen for statements. A person should trust his/her intuition when developing reminder phrases.
The second form of energy used in EFT is kinesthetic energy, the actual tapping of acupressure points, which brings additional
energy into the meridian system. Eastern medicine has identified common emotions involved with each energy meridian
pathway. For example, the stomach meridian (acupoint under the eye) is associated with emotions of worry and trust/mistrust.
However, EFT has a generic, simple protocol in which one taps all of the points even though they may not all be needed for
successful treatment. There is no harm in doing so; the body balances the energy naturally and releases what it does not need.
Research
EFT is relatively new, and while countless individual case studies have reported impressive results, scientific research has only
recently begun. A 2005 study by Jack E. Rowe, PhD, measured changes in psychological functioning of 102 people who
participated in an experiential EFT workshop. Subjects were administered standardized tests at various intervals before, during
and six months after the workshop. As reported in Counseling & Clinical Psychology Journal, Vol. 2 Issue 3, subjects exhibited a
statistically significant decrease in all measures of psychological distress from pre-workshop to post-workshop, which also held
true at the six-month follow-up. Additional research studies now are being conducted through the Association for Comprehensive
Energy Psychology (ACEP), which can be found online at www.energypsych.org.

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In addition, the website www.emofree.com publishes hundreds of powerful testimonials and case reports. For example, Joseph
Mercola, DO, a physician and the founder of the world’s most popular natural-health newsletter (see www.mercola.com), shares,
“We implemented EFT…to help our patients comply to the eating plan and it was absolutely phenomenal. I was very impressed
with EFT’s effectiveness and rapidly adopted it for a variety of other issues…EFT seems to work well over 85 percent of the time in
our clinic…and it is quite clear to me that EFT-type therapies are absolutely critical to nearly all health-optimizing strategies.”
Other people providing testimonials include a woman who utilizes EFT to calm herself before giving a public presentation and a
man who uses it to get over his aversion to making business calls.
Learning EFT
In addition to the EFT manual, instructional DVDs and experienced practitioners can guide you in learning EFT. Live classes or
sessions with an experienced EFT practitioner offer the opportunity to see the technique in action, get questions answered and
learn a few troubleshooting tips. An experienced EFT practitioner knows how to ask specific questions that uncover the core
emotional issues, as well as bring his/her own experience and training to help you find the greatest success in the shortest time.
These practitioners often are familiar with other healing techniques or can provide a referral for complicated or difficult cases.
The additional energy and intention brought to EFT by a practitioner or a group focused on helping you can have a very powerful
effect.
You personally can experience many wonderful transformations by using EFT in your own life. In fact, you do not even need to
have problems to use EFT. Try a morning EFT routine to incorporate positive affirmations of acceptance and self-love to get every
day off to a positive start.
The Basic EFT Procedure (Short Form)
EFT in short form uses only head and torso points. The full EFT protocol also includes taps on finger points, as well as eye
movements, humming and counting.
1. Choose a specific issue for work. Rate the intensity on a scale of 0-10 (10 being extremely uncomfortable and 0 being peaceful
calm).
2 Feel for a “sore spot” or neuro-lymphatic point on the upper breast, usually near the shoulder and along side the underarm.
Soreness indicates lymphatic congestion, but the point need not be sore to use it for treatment. As treatment begins, the sore
spot is massaged in a circular motion while speaking the set-up statements. An optional set up method is to tap with two fingers
on the “pinkie side” of the opposite hand, the fleshy “karate chop area.” Both methods work; select your favorite.
3. Create a set-up statement specific to your problem such as, “Even though I have severe back pain, I completely love and accept
myself.” Repeat this statement three times out loud while rubbing the sore spot or tapping on the karate chop point. (See sidebar
for additional suggestions.) Set-up statements prepare the energy system for treatment by balancing the energy and activating
the meridians involved.

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4. Use a simple reminder phrase such as “my burning back pain” or positive affirmations (see sidebar for suggestions) as you tap
on the treatment points (see diagram above). Tap about seven times on each of the points while repeating the reminder phrase.
Tapping statements put the energy into motion and increase flow to the blocked areas.
5. Repeat sequence as needed until intensity falls to a comfortable level.
As you tap, you may feel a pleasant tingling sensation accompanied by a state of calm alert. Often, tears will stop flowing and the
throat will loosen. An energy release in the form of a deep sigh, a yawn or muscle release also may occur as you tap. Pain
intensity often decreases and stress melts away. Each person’s experience is unique and depends upon the intentional focus of
the EFT session.
EFT is a gift that you easily can learn and share. A person need not even believe EFT will work in order to get amazing results. Why
not give EFT a try? It is a natural way to live life in the flow of greater comfort, peace and connection.
Could Chickpeas (urad) cure vitiligo?

Yesterday I was speaking to a friend of mine in Paris who has vitiligo and is contiually looking for new curative ideas. He
forwarded some new information he found about the use of black chickpeas from india (urad) which looks promising to some
indian scientists.
Here is the article:
Varanasi, Jan 27 (IANS) Chickpeas hold the cure for leukoderma, a chronic skin disease that causes loss of pigment, resulting in
white spots or patches on the skin, claim scientists of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU).
In a research project undertaken jointly by the varsity’s medicinal chemistry and skin departments, scientists have found that
application of a poly-herbal ointment with chickpeas as its base can efficiently treat leucoderma or vitiligo, controlling the spread
of the skin disease that is widely feared for the unsightly white patches it produces.
‘The results were encouraging,’ said an elated Yamini Tripathi, a professor with BHU’s medicinal chemistry department and a
member of the research team, told IANS.
The chickpea therapy has been tried on 50 patients, who got ‘considerable relief from the skin disorder’, added Tripathi, who has
now approached the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for a major research project on vitiligo treatment.
According to the researchers, patients who applied the chickpea-based cream on affected parts of the skin for 20-90 days found
their normal skin pigmentation had returned.
In the fastest cure, a young scooter mechanic here saw the white patches disappear within 28 days.
‘Such a speedy result surprised even us. When we asked for his feedback, he said during his treatment he included a good amount
of chickpeas in his regular diet,’ said Tripathi.

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Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease in which the body starts producing antibodies that destroy cells known as melanocytes that
give the skin its normal colour. Gradually, the affected areas of the skin turn white, which is one of the most common symptoms
of vitiligo.
BHU researchers say that the anti-vitiligo ointment derives its potency from amino acids found in chickpeas.
‘Amino acids found in chickpeas promote synthesis of melanin (skin pigment) formation cells, regenerates the pigment cells and
help in treating the chronic skin disorder,’ said Tripathi.
In vitiligo patients, white patches are more obvious in sun-exposed areas, including arms, legs, face and lips. Other common areas
for white patches to appear are the armpits and groin, around mouth and eyes.
S.N. Ojha, a doctor who is also the member of the research team, said that at present there is no definite method to prevent
vitiligo. ‘It is heartening that our chickpea therapy can offer a promising and cost-effective treatment,’ he added.
(Asit Srivastava can be contacted at asit.s@ians.in)

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Is the medical community searching for a vitiligo cure?

Have you ever wondered just exactly what the scientific/medical communities are working on to help find a cure for vitiligo? Here
is a list I came across which contains links to publications who have written about vitiligo research.
Happy Reading!
Recent Publications on vitiligo:
• Case detection rates of vitiligo by gender and age.
Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) possesses a sac-like ovary with…6th March, 2009
Athens, Greece.- Int J Dermatol. 2009 Mar;48(3):328-9. (DOI Direct Link)
• Comorbidities in dermatology.
Recently, comorbidities have been rediscovered in dermatology. Although…4th March, 2009
Department of Dermatology, Erasmus Medical Centre, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA- Dermatol Clin. 2009
Apr;27(2):137-47, vi. (DOI Direct Link)
• Treating vitiligo and psoriasis with the excimer laser.
Recently, comorbidities have been rediscovered in dermatology. Although…4th March, 2009
Aftergut Dermatology in Dallas, Texas, USA.- JAAPA. 2008 Dec;21(12):53-4.
• Classification and design of teledermatology practice: What dermatoses? Which technology to apply?
Abstract Dermatologists are mostly confined to urban regions and rural…3rd March, 2009
Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy, Jagadguru Sri- J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol.
2009 Feb 24. (DOI Direct Link)
• A Four-Month Randomized, Double-Blind Evaluation of the Efficacy of Botulinum Toxin Type A for the
Treatment of Glabellar Lines in Women with Skin Types V and VI.
BACKGROUND Histologic differences (e.g., dermal thickness, collagen…3rd March, 2009
Vitiligo and Pigmentation Institute of Southern California, Los Angeles,- Dermatol Surg. 2009 Feb 22. (
DOI Direct Link)
• Novel homozygous AIRE mutation in a German patient with severe APECED.
Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) is…28th February, 2009
Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics- J Pediatr Endocrinol
Metab. 2008 Oct;21(10):1003-9.
• Autoimmune Destruction of Skin Melanocytes by Perilesional T Cells from Vitiligo Patients.
In vitiligo, cytotoxic T cells infiltrating the perilesional margin are…27th February, 2009
• New insights on therapy with vitamin D analogs targeting the intracellular pathways that control

Page 36
repigmentation in human vitiligo.

Vitiligo is a progressive depigmenting disorder affecting 0.5-2% of the…26th February, 2009
Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado at Denver and Health- Med Res Rev. 2009 Feb 24.
(DOI Direct Link)
• Vitiligo-like lesions in an adult patient treated with Imatinib mesylate.
Hematology Department, DBBM, Federico II University, Via Pansini 5, 80131- Leuk Res. 2009 Feb 19.
(DOI Direct Link)
• Vitiligo and multiple sclerosis in a patient treated with interferon beta-1a: a case report.
Department of Neurology, Gazi University Medical Faculty, Besevler-Ankara,- Eur J Neurol. 2009 Feb
13. (DOI Direct Link)
• Camouflage for vitiligo.
Cosmetic camouflage is indispensable for patients with vitiligo and can…19th February, 2009
Department of Dermatology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine,- Dermatol Ther. 2009
Jan-Feb;22(1):90-3. (DOI Direct Link)
• The use of suction blisters for the recipient area in epidermal grafting for vitiligo.
Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) is…12th February, 2009
Department of Dermatology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University- J Eur Acad
Dermatol Venereol. 2009 Jan 13. (DOI Direct Link)
• Sphingolipid-mediated restoration of Mitf expression and repigmentation in vivo in a mouse model of
hair graying.
Summary Recent advances in the identification and characterisation of stem…12th February, 2009
Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, Indian Institute of Chemical- Pigment Cell Melanoma
Res. 2009 Jan 22. (DOI Direct Link)
• Independent component analysis for assessing therapeutic response in vitiligo skin disorder.
This paper describes an image analysis technique that objectively measures…12th February, 2009
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department, Universiti Teknologi- J Med Eng Technol.
2009;33(2):101-9. (DOI Direct Link)
• Use of anti-tumor necrosis factor agents: A possible therapy for vitiligo.
Vitiligo is a depigmenting skin disorder resulting from the loss of…10th February, 2009
Department of Dermatology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical- Med Hypotheses. 2009

Page 37
May;72(5):546-7. Epub 2009 Feb 6. (DOI Direct Link)

Page 38
The promise held in vitiligo patents

Not being a member of the medical/scientific community, I am not privy to the day to day goings on when it comes to learning
about the latest advancements in finding a cure for vitiligo, but with the help of the United States Patent and Trademark office, I
can get a general picture of current and past works which seem promising for future use.
I had a great time perusing the patents given in hopes of developing the perfect cure…or at least helpful methods of lessening the
effects of vitiligo. Okay, some of the information is a little technical and at times a bit difficult to understand, but have a look
anyway. You may walk away feeling confident that a cure may be close at hand.
Vitiligo Patents
• 7435524- Permanent, removable tissue markings
• 7452535- Methods of treatment using CTLA-4 antibodies
• 7452875- Amidomethyl-substituted 1-(carboxyalkyl) cyclopentyl-carbonylamino-benzazepine-N-acetic
acid compounds, process and intermediate products for their preparation and pharmaceutical
compositions containing them
• 7452878- Biaromatic compounds which activate PPAR.gamma. type receptors and
cosmetic/pharmaceutical compositions comprised thereof
• 7452892- Triazolopyrimidine cannabinoid receptor 1 antagonists
• 7456176- Benzotriazine inhibitors of kinases
• 7456288- Heterocyclic compounds and methods of making and using thereof
• 7459531- 50 Human secreted proteins
• 7462486- Methods of selecting T cell receptor V peptides for therapeutic use
• 7462698- Anti-CD26 antibodies and methods of use thereof
• 7465446- Surrogate therapeutic endpoint for anti-CTLA4-based immunotherapy of disease
• 7449557- Complexes of alpha (2) macroglobulin and antigenic molecules for immunotherapy
• 7449202- Compositions and methods for prostate and kidney health and disorders, an herbal
preparation
• 7438906- Gamma-1 and gamma-3 anti-human CD23 monoclonal antibodies and use thereof as
therapeutics
• 7439231- Inhibitors of antigen presentation by MHC class II molecules and methods of use thereof
• 7439360- Vanilloid receptor ligands and their use in treatments
• 7439396- Pharmaceutical/cosmetic compositions comprising novel ligands that activate RAR receptors
• 7442698- Substituted heterocyclic compounds and methods of use

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• 7442778- Modified Fc molecules

• 7442807- N-phenylpyrrole guanidine derivatives as melanocortin receptor ligands
• 7445779- Methods of modulating IFNy production
• 7446176- 12 human secreted proteins
• 7449184- Fixed dosing of HER antibodies
• 7465466- Compositions and methods for prostate and kidney health and disorders, an herbal
preparation
• 7468195- Skin treatment preparation
• 7485647- 2-aminoquinoline derivatives
• 7488717- Methods of inhibiting chemokine binding to chemokine receptors
• 7488749- Therapy of diseases of the eye, the inner ear and the central nervous system
• 7491391- Anti-IL-23 antibodies, compositions, methods and uses
• 7491500- Mammalian cytokine; related reagents
• 7491516- Dual specificity antibodies and methods of making and using
• 7491725- Process for preparing 2-aminothiazole-5-aromatic carboxamides as kinase inhibitors
• 7494503- Method and apparatus for acne prevention
• 7494661- Methods for using tetanus toxin for beneficial purposes in animals (mammals)
• 7498027- Methods of treatment using human tumor necrosis factor receptor TR17 antibodies
• 7485315- Compositions comprising a compound of low solubility and a lipophilic amino acid derivative,
uses thereof and process for dissolving a compound of low solubility
• 7485308- 26199, 33530, 33949, 47148, 50226, 58764, 62113, 32144, 32235, 23565, 13305, 14911,
86216, 25206, and 8843 molecules and uses therefor
• 7483738- Combination stimulating and exothermic heating device and method of use thereof
• 7468449- Phenyl-furan compounds as vitamin D receptor modulators
• 7468457- Ligand inhibitors of the RAR receptors, process for preparing same and therapeutic/cosmetic
applications thereof
• 7470437- Methods of treating conditions with a metal-containing material
• 7470722- Multicyclic sulfonamide compounds as inhibitors of histone deacetylase for the treatment of
disease
• 7479479- CNGH0010 specific polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, compositions, methods and
uses
• 7479484- Peptides and peptidomimetics having immune-modulating, anti-inflammatory, and anti-viral

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activity
• 7482013- Albumin fusion proteins
• 7482147- Ubiquitin protease
• 7482347- Piperazine derivatives with CCR-3 inhibiting activity
• 7482442- HEMCM42 nucleic acids
• 7498298- Monomethylvaline compounds capable of conjugation to ligands

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Urad, turmeric, vitiligo experiment

It’s been about a month since my friend, Juone, told me about the urad bean studies to heal vitiligo, and can you believe, it
wasn’t until yesterday that I finally walked into an Indian grocer to buy the supplies.
Sure, I could have searched online for a nearby Indian grocer, but I already knew of one that is about 40 minutes away and I just
assumed I would go there…sometime. However, yesterday I drove to the post office down the street- somewhere I visit at least
once a week to mail orders- and as I left the building, I looked up at the beautiful blue sky and when my gaze came back down, I
noticed that I had parked right in front of a Mideast Grocer (that’s indian food to you and me). Excited about my new find, I
rushed in, immediately found the urad beans and turmeric, paid, and rushed home to start my own vitiligo experiment. The only
problem is, now I have to figure out how I am supposed to use it.
Obviously, a forthcoming blog will share that information once I get it

Page 42
8 Comments
Scott said:
hey, sounds good! keep us updated on how they work out for ya# 31 March 2009 at 5:38 pm
ALEX267 said:
ALL THE BEST FOR YOUR ACTION AND HOW DO YOU THINK THAT THE CREME IS 50% 50%# 1 April 2009 at 6:44 am
Rakesh said:
Hi,
I hope it works for you but my only concern is the turmeric it is a very rich antioxidants and is one of natures biggest gifts but for
vitiligo i have heard that turmeric in the diet causes it to spread in india drs ask people with vitiligo not to consume turmeric.
Also Turmeric is used to lighten the skin pigment you know there is this big craze about turning lighter and turmeric is used for
that.Rakesh# 1 April 2009 at 11:37 am
Anne said:
I also just found the Urad beans at an Indian grocery, and am going to cook them up according to some recipes I have found for
Indian beans, dal etc. I have also been doing a lot of reading, and it seems that Vitiligo is also linked to liver congestion, adrenal
exhaustion, and thyroid. I would have not put myself in any of those categories, but am going to tweak some of my daily routines,
and add Urad beans to the picture along with black pepper oil as soon as I can find that.# 4 April 2009 at 4:48 pm
hi anne,
great idea…i will post some easy to make urad recipes.
i have hypothyroidism, and i have heard from a lot of vitiligo people that they do too. hmmm, would be interesting to see if a
particular hormone or vitamin deficiency causes liver congestion, adrenal exhaustion, and thyroid dysfunction.
Cihan said:
Hi,I live in the Netherlands, I also have vitiligo and would like to try this urad bean treatment. Once I get the urad beans, do I cook
them, and drink/put on the liquid or grind them and then put them on the white spots? Do I need fresh urad beans or will dried
urad beans do?
Must they be eaten or put on the skin? Also, what can I do to help the healing process? Like for example, drink/eat less or no
dairy products, eat less or no meat for a certain amount of time…
or use it in addition with another product or vegitable.
Any tips and how-to’s would be greatly appriciated.
Thanks in advance,
Cihan
# 12 April 2009 at 11:26 am

Page 43
Aimee said:
Hey y’all,
As I was reading here I came across a blog that Chickpeas in any shape and form are helpful in treating Vitiligo. About 250 grams
daily cooked any way. (Garbanzo chana etc) NOT URAD. It was very specific about this. It gave a contact responsible for the study:
yaminiok@yahoo.com# 3 August 2009 at 5:40 am
bodydetoxification said:
i read on the internet that Turmeric (Curcumin) has a natural anti-inflammatory properties and it also enhances wound healing. i
sprinkle a bit of turmeric powder on my food.
# 1 October 2009 at 2:52 am

Page 44
Vitamin D and vitiligo

4 April 2009 5 Comments
According to the research I have done, it’s safe to say that Vitamin D plays a large role in vitiligo. This morning I came across a
very interesting article in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology from July, 2008. Have a read and tell me what you think
Vitiligo: nonsurgical treatment options and the evidence behind their use Topical Vitamin D3 Analogs
Topical treatment with vitamin D3 analogs, specifically calciprotriol and tacalcitol, gained consideration as possible treatments for
vitiligo following reports of hyperpigmentation in psoriasis patients. (48) The exact mechanism by which vitamin D may be a
useful treatment for vitiligo is unclear, but there are numerous possibilities. One possible aspect of vitamin D’s utility is believed
to be through modulation of the immune system. This is based on the fact that immune cells, such as T cells, B cells, and
macrophages, express vitamin D receptors. In addition, animal models of autoimmune disease have been shown to respond to
vitamin D supplementation. Vitamin D suppresses T-cell activation and the expression of cytokines such as TNF-[alpha] and IFN-
*gamma+. Vitamin D’s immune modulation has already proven to be useful in the treatment of psoriasis. Furthermore,
keratinocytes, melanocytes, and fibroblasts also express vitamin D receptors, and vitamin D has been associated with the
maturation and differentiation of melanocytes. (5) There has even been found a polymorphism of the vitamin D receptor gene,
APAI, that was shown to be associated with vitiligo in a small inbred Romanian community. (49)
The efficacy of topical vitamin D3 may also be due to its antioxidant properties, helping melanocytes respond to increased levels
of reactive oxygen species found in keratinocytes and melanocytes from vitiligo lesions. Another mechanism may be through
vitamin D’s ability to regulate calcium homeostasis. Oxidative stress from hydrogen peroxide has been shown to disrupt calcium
homeostasis in vitiligo epidermis, and some believe that vitamin D may have the capacity to restore it. (5), (50)
Investigations of the use of calciprotriol as a monotherapy have generally showed poor results. In 1 study, however, the
combination of calciprotriol with corticosteroids indicated that it may hold promise. This study treated 12 patients with
combination topical steroids and calciprotriol, and 83% responded to therapy with an average repigmentation of 95% of body
surface area. Interestingly, 4 of the patients who responded had previously failed steroid monotherapy. (51) There have also been
positive results in studies combining it with phototherapy. A placebo-controlled, double-blind study of 35 patients concluded that
calciprotriol combined with PUVA resulted in significantly higher percentages of repigmentation. Sixty-three percent of the
lesions treated with PUVA and calciprotriol achieved complete repigmentation as compared to only 15% when PUVA was used
with a placebo. (52)
Unfortunately, investigations of calciprotriol combined with NBUVB have had conflicting results. Some studies have found that
calciprotriol potentiates the effects of NBUVB treatment, such as a recent prospective left, right comparison study of 28 patients
by Goktas et al. (53) However, a more recent randomized comparative study of 40 patients concluded that topical calciprotriol did
not significantly enhance the results of NBUVB. (54) In addition, Goldinger et al concluded in a single-blinded, right/left
comparison that topical calciprotriol did not enhance the activity of treatment with a 308-nm excimer laser. (48) Adding to the

Page 45
confusion, other studies indicate that the related vitamin D analog tacalcitol has synergistic effects with both NBUVB and the 308-
nm excimer laser. (55), (56) Despite some negative results, the use of vitamin D analogs is still being pursued. This is evidenced by
a recent case report which described a pediatric patient who had failed steroid treatment, but was successfully treated with
tacalcitol and 30 minutes of daily sunlight exposure. (57)

Page 46
5 Comments
Ted Hutchinson said:
Checking that you are not Vitamin D3 deficient is relatively cheap and easy. Grassroots health $40 25(OH)D postal test Just 2
spots of blood on a test card, Lancet provided, return the card and in a couple of weeks they email you a link to the result.
If you explore that Grassroots site you will find a series of videos from the world’s leading Vitamin D scientists. Diabetes, Cancer,
Heart Disease are just a few of the subjects covered in relation to low vitamin D status.
The problem is just about every cell in the body uses D3. When our DNA evolved we lived naked outdoors. It was the ability to
store D3 when we in surplus that enabled the paler skinned individuals to survive in northern latitudes, but nowadays most
people never reach the point 125nmol/l 50ng where the stores of D3 build up.
In order for the immune function to work at Vmax the system requires equal amounts of stored D3{/a> to match circulating
25(OH)D. So anyone with a 25(OH)D below 50ng 125nmol/l is less capable of resisting chronic disease.# 5 April 2009 at 12:37 pm
Sermin said:
Thank you for this sharing. Vit.D can be useful for vitiligo but I don’t understand why they just studied topical form of vt. D. I did
repigmented many time around %80-85 and got always back much more when I cut my regimes. So this is the biggest problem
with vitiligo as because it is a complex situation more than a skin condition. If the system problem just compressed but not
recovered, it will come back in 3-4 months or in a year. Repigmentation is not only problem, the main problem is that we
commonly have digestive system disfunction, commonly we have some tyroid dysfunctions associated with the other glandular
dysfunctions. My vitiligo comes from my poly glandular dysfunction. Low energy levels, very low vit. levels (so why not oral form
instead of cream from of vit.D),very low seratonin and sex hormones, but high level of chortizon (I got a depo chortizon shot but
it caused my viti spread badly). About chortizons if any of you related health business should know what devastating situation
come from. I have never seen any disease could get over with chortizons. It does cause the problems even bigger in time, in
asthma, in diabet, psoriasis and any of disease. I was a emergency nurse for 5 year, then representative for a drug company, than
sales manager, than director of advertising and marketing, for 23 years I am in health business (including nurse school), I have
never seen any one get relief with chortizon for a long, it does always comes back even more stubborn. I had it, many of us had it.
This is sorry that not much can be done so they still trying chortizons for vitiligo again even they all know what I know. One last
thing I wanna say to all, VITILIGO IS A SYSTEM DISORDER NOT A SKIN DISORDER, SYSTEM DISORDER RESULTS AS A SKIN
SITUATION CALLED VITILIGO. IT IS COMMONLY FOUND THAT VITILIGO PATIENTS HAS GLANDULAR SYSTEM DYSFUNCTIONS THIS
CAN CAUSE IMMUN SYSTEM DAMAGES OR DYSFUNCTIONS, SO VIT. D CAN HELP BETTER IF WE TAKE IT ORALLY OR BY ENJECTABLE
FORMS BETTER THAN TOPICAL APPLICATIONS, CHORTIZONS CAN HELP AT THE BEGINNING BUT WILL BRING (in a month or so)
MORE VITI DEPENDS ON MY EXPERIENCE, I AM WRITING BIG JUST I GOT TIRED OF HEARING THE SIMILAR WEAK APPROACHES TO
THIS COMPLEX SITUATION..I should add something more as PUVA is the best artificial light treatment I had combined with

Page 47
psorolen pills, the other thing is natural sun also work much greater then narrow B depends on my experiences. Anyway last
summer I used psorolen pills and natural sun light again, in 2-3 months got %85 coverage, I has to quit my regime and they came
all back in 2-3 months even bigger. This is my 4th times that I got success but doesn’t last long..Good luck and I hope there will be
something found soon that I can believe would work after all..# 5 April 2009 at 2:24 pm
Dale said:
I’m in my 40s and have been working different approaches to treating vitiligo and alopicia for years. I’ve tried Oral vitamin D. It
often made my stomach upset. I recently started topical D3. The first thing I noticed was that my skin began to feel softer and
smoother, and I have properly pigmented hair growing in places where I had not seen growth in some time. I did not have either
of these responses from oral vitamin D at 4x the potency.
I don’t know why, and I can’t yet draw any conclusions, but thought it might help.# 26 April 2009 at 1:47 pm
Isa said:
I sincerely hope that an effective cure can be learned soon for all vitiligo patients. Being a female, wearing a bathing suit in the
summer or maybe a halter dress for example is very embarrassing and not to mention depressing. While the studies are still be
conducted, does ANYONE, recommend or approve of permanent make up for the skin?
# 1 November 2009 at 1:33 pm
blingmyfaves.com said:
Vitamin D and vitiligo…
Topical treatment with vitamin D3 analogs, specifically calciprotriol and tacalcitol, gained consideration as possible treatments for
vitiligo following reports of hyperpigmentation in psoriasis patients. (48) The exact mechanism by which vitamin D may…# 9
March 2010 at 1:44 pm

Page 48
Vitiligo Metabolic/Biochemical Hypothesis

6 April 2009 No Comment
Another hypothesis of melanocyte destruction suggests it may be an end result of metabolic and biochemical dysregu-lation.
Keratinocytes and melanocytes may have innate biochemical abnormalities, particularly in the metabolism of biopterins and
catechols, which increase susceptibility to reactive oxygen species and immunologic cytotoxicity.
The oxidative stress hypothesis is supported by studies that found an imbalance in oxidative-reduction (redox) status in
peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitiligo patients, which represents the redox status of the epidermis.
Additionally, elevated levels of hydrogen peroxide [H.sub.2] [O.sub.2] can be found in the epidermis of vitiligo patients along with
lower levels of the antioxidant catalase. Some have proposed that vitiligo is a systemic disease of redox imbalance that manifests
with cutaneous lesions.
Most RecentPharma Articles
It is possible that oxidative stress induces an immune reaction that ultimately induces melanocyte death. It has been reported
that stress such as overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, contact with bleaching phenols, emotional stress, and mechanical injury
can precipitate vitiligo. Melanocytes from vitiligo lesions have also been shown to express increased amounts of heat shock
protein (HSP) 70 as compared to normal melanocytes.
Heat shock proteins are expressed by cells under stress, act as chaperones, and prevent cells from undergoing apoptosis. Heat
shock protein 70 in particular is unique in that it is secreted by live cells and, once it is released, enhances the antigen uptake of
dendritic cells (DCs), activates the DCs, and ultimately stimulates a T-cell immune response. By chaperoning proteins and peptides
out of the cells, and perhaps secreting melanosomes with (HSP) 70, it is postulated that the combination of HSP70 with these
antigens induces an immune reaction against melanocytes.
A recent study took this concept further by using a mouse model of autoimmune vitiligo induced by gene gun vaccination with
melanocyte antigens. They showed that including human and mouse-derived inducible HSP70 in the protocol increased and
accelerated depigmentation. HSP70 may link the biochemical/metabolic hypothesis with the autoimmune hypothesis of vitiligo.
An increased level of oxidative stress in vitiligo melanocytes may get translated into an immune response.
findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0PDG/is_7_7/ai_n27970036/pg_4/?tag=content;col1

Page 49
Neural hypothesis for vitiligo

7 April 2009 One Comment
Neural Hypothesis
The neural hypothesis of vitiligo is based on observations of segmental vitiligo. Segmental vitiligo is a unique form of vitiligo. It
manifests in a dermatomal, rather than Blaschkoid, distribution and is therefore postulated to involve segmental nerves that
innervate affected areas.
In 1 study, segmental vitiligo lesions were found to have 3 times the level of cutaneous blood flow of normal contralateral skin.
Because sympathetic nerves induce vasoconstriction as they control blood flow to the skin, it is thought that vitiligo may be
mediated by inadequate sympathetic innervation. This hypothesis is supported by a finding that the sympathetic nerves in vitiligo
lesions have an abnormally increased adrenoceptor response to oxidative stress. Segmental vitiligo does not Koebnerize, does
not increase in size after the first year, and is relatively recalcitrant to treatment. Understanding the possible difference in
pathogenesis may allow for development of more effective treatments.

Page 50
One Comment
Mahmood said:
I studied above words for neural hypotheses for vitiligo very impressive and solid knowledge is found. I appreciate the person
representing this sorts of information to public indeed that is very beneficial. I’ll have been studing and leaving comments on the
blog in future. I have observed this sorts of information before relating to vitiligo.
# 18 April 2009 at 12:46 am

Page 51
Vitiligo treatments series: Corticosteroids

Corticosteroids
Topical corticosteroids are a standard treatment option to decrease inflammation. Because they are often associated with side
effects such as atrophy, striae, and telangiectasia, they are not recommended for large lesions or areas of the body that are more
susceptible to side effects such as the face. Systemic corticosteroids have reported success in rapidly progressing vitiligo.
However, due to adverse effects and inconsistent response, steroid monotherapy has long been viewed as a less than ideal
treatment. Studies have found that one can often reap more benefit from these drugs by combining them with phototherapy. For
example, a randomized left-right comparison study showed that topical fluticasone combined with UVA phototherapy was better
than either alone.

Page 52
Vitiligo in history: Henry Moss

During the 18th and 19th centuries in the United States, cases of vitiligo began to attract a great deal of interest from both the lay
public and the medical community, and they began to carry interesting cultural implications. Perhaps the most recognized and
influential case of vitiligo from this period was that of Henry Moss.
Henry Moss, a man of African descent who was born in Virginia, first began to experience depigmentation of his skin at the age of
38 years, beginning on his hands and eventually extending to his arms, legs, and face. Four years later, in the summer of 1796, he
exhibited his body for a fee in taverns in the Philadelphia area as well as before members of the American Philosophical Society.
Moss quickly became a popular attraction.
On a hot July day in 1796, curious citizens of Philadelphia pushed and shoved as they lined up under the sign of the Black Horse,
which hung outside Mr. Leech’s tavern on Market Street. They were all there to witness a “Great CURIOSITY”: a man named
Henry Moss who was born “entirely black” but after thirty eight years had miraculously “become as white and fair as any white
person.” According to a broadside dated July 23, it was reported that Moss’s “natural colour began to rub off” and his “wool” was
being replaced by “straight hair similar to that of a white person.” How, they wondered, could this be true? From eight in the
morning until eight in the evening, Moss entertained visitors, who plunked down a half shilling for the chance to view this
wonder.
The public’s preoccupation with Moss was unmistakable. According to Dr. Charles Caldwell, for at least those two summer
months, the people of Philadelphia were utterly transfixed by the spectacle of Moss. As Caldwell noted in his Autobiography,
“*T+he cause of this singular change of complexion was a theme of wonder to everyone.” The doctor went so far as to assert that
Henry Moss’s name was as well known to periodical readers as that of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison.
Although Caldwell was prone to exaggeration, we do know that Moss’s popularity prompted him to take his show (which was
literally himself) on the road. He toured several American cities where he also drew crowds of curious onlookers.
want to find out more ? check out the source http://www.common-place.org/vol-04/no-02/yokota/

Page 53
Did Cuba have a cure for vitiligo?

I came across this article about a cure for vitiligo which was found years ago in Cuba. If it is true, it makes me question why other
scientists around the world are not using the research to develop a cure.
In the 70’s, in fulfillment of a commercial agreement, Cuba exported annually 40 tons of human placenta to MERIUX Laboratories,
in France. At the same time, Dr. Carlos Miyares Cao, a physician specialist in Gynecology, Obstetrics and Pharmacology, and
professor from Medical School of the University of Havana, Cuba, discovers a substance which stimulates skin pigmentation
activity, while studying live placental metabolism under laboratory conditions.
The successful use in our country of that substance in the treatment of the skin disease known as Vitiligo, decided to discontinue
around 1980-1982 the exports of placenta to France, to begin, within the National Pharmaceutical Industry, the production of the
new medicine known as Melagenina for its distribution in pharmacies on medical prescription.
In 1985, the first international service of Vitiligo patients was created at the “Cira García” Clinic, in Havana City, in charge of Dr.
Carlos Miyares Cao. The great flow of nearby country patients to Cuba (Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, etc.,) gave rise to establish
the first system of health tourism through CUBATUR Company.
In 1986, due to the international repercussion of the new Cuban method for the treatment of Vitiligo, by which a medicine
obtained from human placenta was used, the Council of State creates the Placental Histotherapy Center headed by Dr. Carlos
Miyares Cao for further research.
In 1987, it was necessary to establish the International and National Clinical Service for Vitiligo patients due to an increase in the
number of foreign patients requesting to be treated in Cuba with the new medicine (100 patients monthly, from more than 90
countries), as well as to treat Cuban patients suffering this disease throughout the country. From 1988 to 1991, centers for the
medical treatment of these patients, began to be established in other countries, and therefore the export of Melagenina started.
The medical staff of those centers were trained at the Placental Histotherapy Center so as to guarantee the same efficiency in the
application of the method as in Cuba.
Consequently, there were centers at the Canary Islands (Spain), Republic of San Marino, Madrid, (Spain); Brazil; Bogota,
(Colombia); Mexico City, (Mexico); Lima, (Peru); Nicaragua; El Salvador; Entre Ríos, (Argentina); Kiev, (Ukraine); Moscow and
Petrograd (Russia); Kirghiz; Kazakhstan; Riga; Latvia; Nigeria, (Africa).
At this stage, 30 Vitiligo patient associations known as “Friendly Associations against Vitiligo” were established, and formed by
sick people requesting the introduction of the Cuban drug in their respective countries.
From 1992 to 1994, our government analysed the need of building a manufacturing plant for the production of different
medicines from human placenta, not only the Melagenina, but also other useful medicines for the treatment of other pathologies
as well as cosmetics that have proved to be of great efficiency in delaying the cell aging process. This was the result of the work

Page 54
developed by Dr. Carlos Miyares Cao and his research team from the Placental Histotherapy Center, who obtained new
medicines, such as:
Period from 1970 to 1980
¨ Melagenina (for Vitiligo treatment)
¨ Coriodermina (for Psoriasis treatment)
¨ Piloactive lotion (for Alopecia treatment)
¨ Tromboplastine (blood coagulation)
¨ Dietary Supplement (osteoporosis – anaemia)
1980 – 1994
¨ Melagenina Plus (for Vitiligo treatment optimization)
¨ Enteral Food (intensive care)
¨ Tensoactive Lung Surfactant (neonatology)
¨ Placental lactogen (Obstetrics)
Cosmetics
¨ Placental Shampoo
¨ Bioactive Dermal Cream (dermothrophic)
¨ Bioactive Dermal Gel
¨ Epidermic Photoprotecting Gel
¨ Amniotic Collagen Cream
¨ Hair Conditioner
¨ Facial Tonics
¨ Cleaning Milks
¨ Bioactive Dermal Soap
Previous to the construction of the manufacturing plant of the center, these products were prepared by the following institutions:
Melagenina, the Piloactive Lotion and the Placental Shampoo in facilities of the pharmaceutical medical industry at
manufacturing, packaging and quality control units located in different places, hindering thus the increase and large scale
production, while the Coriodermina and the remaining cosmetics were developed at the research area of the center with better
technological conditions but with home poor productive capacity. Consequently, it was increasingly difficult to cover the home
and international demand of these placental by-products.

Page 55
Therefore, a manufacturing plant with modern technology and high productive capacity began to be built in 1991 in the
municipality of La Lisa in the near of Valle Grande in Havana City. The construction works were assigned to ECOA-25, a brigade
from the Ministery of Construction (MICONS), and this project was directly supervised by the Investment Division of the Council
of State.
The construction lasted 4 years, the investment area covers 26 000 m2 and it is mainly constituted by two parallel buildings.
The main building has the necessary equipment for storing and unfreezing the placenta collected from the Gynecology and
Obstetrics hospitals of the country; extraction and bioprocessing of the different above-mentioned placental by-products, as well
as their packing and storage for their subsequent distribution both in the country and abroad.
The Laboratories for Chemical Quality Control, Microbiological and Biological Laboratories and area for developing new
technologies are in the second building.
The approved staff is of 170 workers and their theoretical productive capacity is 3000 flasks per hour.
The ENSUFARMA Co. is responsible for the distribution of the end products throughout the country for national consumption.
The Heber Biotec Co. is entrusted with their marketing abroad.
Now the Placental Histotherapy Center has two areas:
1. RESEARCH AND CLINICAL SERVICE
Main tasks:
· Medical Services for Cuban and foreign patients suffering from Vitiligo, Psoriasis and Alopecia.
· Search for new medicines and cosmetics obtained from the human placenta.
· Optimization of the currently used treatments for Vitiligo, Psoriasis and Alopecia.
· In-depth study of the etiology of such diseases.
· Establishment of laboratory methods of analysis to determine the quality of the human placenta by-products.
· Medical post-graduate teaching.
2. MANAGEMENT AND PRODUCTION OF THE COMPANY
Main objectives:
· Marketing of the products obtained from the human placenta.
· Production of drugs, cosmetics, nutrients and indicators extracted from the human placenta.
· Technological scaling of the new products.

Page 56
18 Comments
Scott said:
no, cuba is a bunch of scammin no good for nothins they didnt have a cure# 10 April 2009 at 7:49 pm
serra said:
cuba has had a great medical system for years and trains so many doctors that travel worldwide to help people. I am not
surprised to see this research. The previous comment is so ignorant..# 30 May 2009 at 9:20 pm
Kim said:
My dad has friends in cuba and they are trying to set me up with doctors who know that there is a cure. I’m making a few trips up
there for treatments very soon. THERE IS A CURE! I have it spread on my face, arms, legs, abdomen, and chest…. basically
everywhere. I am so excited to start treatments!# 28 June 2009 at 2:58 pm
bantu said:
I know this medicine very well, it doesent work on everyone, though there have been some positive results.
Dr Buntu# 20 July 2009 at 10:54 am
JSMURTY said:
Dear I have come across your article and would like to know if any doctor in India is trained and practicing this method. If yes
please provide his address.Is the medicine available in India?# 24 July 2009 at 12:13 pm
Le said:
Hi, did anyone outside of the U.S order Melagenina Plus from the website melageninaplus.com? I have just place an order from
Vietnam. It is said that free shipping but i am not sure that the order works.# 3 August 2009 at 10:01 pm
SteveD said:
Kim, on June 28-08 you wrote:
“My dad has friends in cuba and they are trying to set me up with doctors who know that there is a cure. I’m making a few trips
up there for treatments very soon. THERE IS A CURE!”
Have you been to Cuba? Could you please help me with your experience and contacts? Thank you!!!# 24 August 2009 at 8:58 am
m said:
Hi guys I’m from Cuba I’m not surprised to hear that they have treatments there, Cuba has great doctors they spend a lot of time
studying there, is nothing better to do than playing with books really, last week the doctor told me that my son has vitiligo, so I
told myself not to come back to my country because of Castro, but I have to tell you that I’m thinking about it. I’m so sad that my
son suffers from this that I’m considering to go back. =(# 6 September 2009 at 2:14 pm
Prescription Drugs - Protopic said:
Prescription Drugs – Protopic…

Page 57
An interesting post by a bloger made me ……# 30 September 2009 at 10:12 am

Roshnie said:
Plesae let me if anyone has tried this treatment , would like to know if it really works. My son,13 also has it about 5 years now
and I know just how you feel m. I tried so many things but I won’t give up.
I am also not handling this very well but trying very hard not to show my son how very concerned I am. Need to be positive for
him. Roshnie# 6 October 2009 at 1:05 pm
Linnda Weir said:

I would be very interested in finding this breakthrough medication in the U.S. I will go to the website mentioned above and
decide about that also. I have tried a lot of possible cures, nothing has worked. I have lost much pigment in the over forty years of
having the diagnosis.# 23 October 2009 at 3:15 pm
Darin said:
Hello,
I went to Cuba three times. I visited Dr. Carlos Miyares Cao, Director of the Centro de histoterapia placentaria in 1989, 1993 and
1999. I applied first Melagenina and later Melagenina Plus (after 1993(, however with very poor results. In 2003 I gave up the
treatment. I don’t doubt there is a real scientific backgraound and really there are some positive results. The percentige 86% of
repigmented patients is absolutely to high. Maybe in black population, who knows ???
Link: http://www.histoterapia-placentaria.cu/
Feel free to contact me for any further questions.
Best regards,
Darin, Slovenia# 21 December 2009 at 5:20 am
Kimberly said:
I went to the clinic in Cuba in March 2009 and was evaluated that 53% of my body was effected. I brought back treatment bottles
and have seen some improvement in my face. I went back in November to get more treatment and have seen more improvement
since. What i would like to know is that is there any way to have the medicine shipped to Canada, because it begins to be very
expensive having to go to Cuba every 6 months or so……. Any solutions?? Are there any other clinics other then in Cuba????
However i will confirm that it has been working for me!!!!# 15 February 2010 at 9:57 am

Page 58
hi kim,
this is wonderful news about your re-pigmentation; however, i don’t know of any other place that does this treatment. have you
called the clinic in cuba to see if they sell overseas? they would be the first place to ask.# 15 February 2010 at 10:56 am
Amanda said:
Kimberly also please make sure you get checked for gluten intolerance, I just got some very reliable information that gluten has a
major role in autoinmune disorders like vitiligo. Please read about you can Google it: GLUTEN AND VITILIGO# 15 February 2010 at
8:29 pm
yami said:
i have melagenina from cuba and i used in my daugther and it worked.# 18 February 2010 at 12:49 am
Ash said:
Hi all, i have had Vitiligo for about 4 years. I’m not sure how i got it. I’m guessing the stress level i had while i was a freshmen in
college and not eating right? Not exactly sure but it started off on my right eyelid. i thought it was dry skin at first because it
started to flake a little. It has spread a lot and spread to my hands and legs and also my back as small white patches. I ordered
some pills from India from Dr. Shah’s Life Force team but it hasn’t done much. I’m constantly researching and reading for REAL
cures/treatment. For some reason i would like to get my hands on the treatment from Cuba because i was reading that it worked.
What does everyone else think about the Cuban treatment?# 18 February 2010 at 6:35 pm
Wayne said:
I went to Cuba for the treatment 5 years ago purchased £1200 worth of the
drug brought it back to England, used it for 8 months not progress for me.
but while I was in Cuba I met a lovely lady with two sons and one of the sons name was McKenzie he also had Vitiligo, we lost
contact for after 8 months but I was told he was responding to the treatment.# 7 March 2010 at 6:43 pm
Breathe for healthy skin

Stress is no stranger to any of us and we need to accept that it is an indefinite part of our lives. Every time we get stressed out,
our bodies will naturally produce certain hormones because of the intense feelings we are having. As a result, our heart starts to
beat faster and the blood flow in our system increases. If we allow these stressors to constantly haunt us for prolonged periods of
time we may even burn out or become extremely fatigued.
How then do you attempt to handle and deal with something that you know will always be there? How do you handle stress?
There are actually many ways to do this but in this article we will be focusing on one way only: through breathing.

Page 59
Slow and deep breathing has several effects on your body, the most prominent being the ability to relax your muscles and body
to achieve a state of ‘peace’. When you get stressed out your body naturally goes into a ‘fight or flight’ mode. This is like being in
a constant state of high alert. Slow breathing can be used to counter this by relaxing your body to lower the heart rate in an
attempt to reduce the intense feelings.
Deep breathing does not just involve the lungs but also the abdomen. Sit back comfortably with your back straight and start by
placing one of your hands on your chest and then place the other hand on your abdomen. Breathe in slowly and gently through
your nose and you should be able to feel the hand placed on your stomach start to rise. However, the hand on your chest should
move only slightly. After inhaling to a point of comfort, hold the breath for a few seconds before exhaling through your nose or
mouth and, again, you should feel only limited movement of the hand placed upon your chest. But you should feel your
abdominal muscles contract slightly as you exhale. Repeat this method of breathing for a short while and you should soon feel
calm and relaxed.
The benefit of this type of breathing is that by taking long, slow breaths that go deep into your abdomen you are actually
maximizing your oxygen intake. The result is instant stress relief. With more oxygen in your system, your body calms down and
puts you in a much more relaxed state. At the same time you are also clearing your mind of stress since you are very much
focused on breathing properly and deeply. If your mind begins to wander bring your focus back to the breathing and you will find
yourself to be much more relaxed.
Deep breathing like this can be helpful for everyone and it does work, but only if done properly. No doubt there are other ways to
deal with stress, but deep breathing can be done anywhere and at any time and requires no equipment except for your nose and
a working set of lungs! The important thing is that it helps you quickly reach a state of calm and to clear your thinking. Still
skeptical? Why not try it for yourself; you won’t be disappointed.

Page 60
Piperine Research Update

Yesterday I contacted Dr. Soumyana to get an update on the piperine research which she founded. Here is what she said:
We are presently seeking external funding to do a safety trial of piperine in vitiligo. The economic downturn has meant that we
could not proceed as fast as we would have liked, but rest assured that we are still working on this project.
The state of our world’s economy is affecting lives across the board, so it should come as no surprise that educational institutions
are, too, experiencing cut-backs. This isn’t bad news; afterall, their jobs depend on receiving funding to continue research. And
what’s more, these researchers are just as passionate about finding a cure for vitiligo as we are.
I have forwarded comments from this site about your personal experiments with piperine to Dr. Soumyana in hopes that they
could potentially hold a key to any unanswered questions they may have.

Page 61
4 Comments
Luca said:
io ogni giorno vengo sempre su questo sito per vedere se c’e’ qualkosa di nuovo anche cose che già sapevoma sono contento lo
stesso voglio che se ne parli di questa fastidiossima malattia!! per quanto riguarda la piperina non so se crederci tanto xo vorrei
tantissimo che il prima possibile uscisse una nuova cura magari definita…. non voglio credere che non si riesca a trovare una vera
terapia… mi pongo questa domanda ma il problema sono i soldi per finanziare le ricerche?? cioè se io adesso donerei milioni e
milioni di euro si riuescirebbe a trovare una cura oppure ci troviamo davvero in alto mare?# 30 April 2009 at 6:14 am
Mati said:
I use minced black pepper and UVB lamps and after one month I have considerable effects! It’s very very satisfied.# 22 May 2009
at 3:30 pm
david budi said:
i ve heard bout using topical cream n the reasearch, anyone know how much strenght used?thanks# 29 May 2009 at 3:57 am
christophe france said:
What is up about urad indian black chickpeas and vitiligo treatment?# 5 June 2009 at 3:35 am

Page 62
Do you ever feel like you’re alone?

5 May 2009 4 Comments
Today’s post does not include sage advice about how to live with vitiligo, nor is it an idea for a new vitiligo treatment; I simply
want to tell you that you are not alone.
You are not alone in dealing with the ugly emotional complexities of vitiligo. You are not alone in feeling less than your most
beautiful self at times. And you are not alone in feeling helpless. I am here for you and so is everyone else who has ever
commented on this site and/or is a member of our vitiligo community. Just reach out and there will be a hand waiting to hold
yours.

Page 63
4 Comments
Dawn V. said:
I can appreciate words of encouragement. Its not easy to feel like your not alone when everyone around you isnt suffering from
the disease. Its disheartening to wonder always “why me?”. Why is it that all of the people around me have such beautiful skin
color and mine makes me feel so unattractive? I know its a lifelong struggle, but as my condition progresses, its more depressing.
I have found the spray tan in a can does help tremendously. And after visiting a different dermatologist last week, he told me
some great things that will begin in stem cell research to re-pigment skin. I am excited, but it doesnt seem soon enough. Best
wishes to all of you out there. No your not alone, but its something people in my life just dont understand. Take care.Dawn# 6
May 2009 at 8:53 am
Alex said:
Ya im constantly frustatred and angry with the why me question..half my friends smoke, live off fast food and drink there ** off
(im in college) and i am vegetarian living off ** tasting salads and spending half my money on vitamins and supplements and i
work out 4-5 days a week and yet i have the ugly skin with white spots all over my hands. it ** infuriates me sometimes# 6 May
2009 at 11:09 pm
lirik said:
ya…we not walk alone..iam husband and my wife with vitiligo…at one time a feel so bad but now i must strong and make my wife
happy.now i call that condition is not disease, just condition different with other. just like tall or short, black or white, or etc…and
now we are happy…i think this is a reallity,# 11 May 2009 at 8:15 pm
Dani said:
Im 17 in highschool and its definitly hard living with vitiligo. I get odd looks everyday and I see how beautiful and flawless
everyone elses skin looks. Especially in the summer. Its hard to tell yourself how beautiful you really are everyday. And I really
appreciate that Im not the only one who feels this way.# 25 May 2009 at 8:27 pm

Page 64
Can toxic chemicals trigger vitiligo?

20 May 2009 7 Comments
Today I was reading an article about the effects of oxidative stress on vitiligo and a thought came to mind. I’ve read from many
sources that stress may induce vitiligo. I always took that to mean that stressful situations, or a stress filled life, could cause
vitiligo, but, what if could also mean stress put on my body by toxic chemicals that I’ve been exposed to, knowingly and
unknowingly? After all, each time I have the carpets cleaned, there is a metallic taste in my mouth and twice a year my house was
sprayed for bugs. Nail polish remover is toxic. Window cleaner is toxic. Plant sprays are toxic. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least
if we came to discover that exposure to toxic chemicals is the catalyst to the onset of vitiligo in certain people.

Page 65
7 Comments
lorena said:
Interesting. I think that everyone who has Vitiligo has the genetic propensity for it, for some it’s triggered by man-made
chemicals, other people have an emotional stress trigger, and still others by organic toxins. In my case I believe that it was caused
by mold in the house where I grew up.# 21 May 2009 at 12:47 pm
Randy said:
I would wonder the same thing about contact with chemicals. A few years ago I was building and repairing golf clubs as a side
business. During the process I was using a strong solvent to remove the rubber grips from the clubs. During the process I was
wearing rubber gloves and the solvent would eat through the gloves and puddle up between the glove and my knuckles. Months
later I began having the pigment disappear on my knuckles and the top of my hands. The doctors say there is no chance, but I
have the brand name of the solvent saved for further research.
Is there any way to check for chemical reactions with Vitiligo?Randy# 18 August 2009 at 9:32 am
~ Melatonin supplement side effects said:
my girlfriend has Vitiligo. i think UV treatment and also some topical agents as well pills that increase melanin are working for
her.# 26 September 2009 at 9:38 pm
Glenda said:
I suddenly noticed white spots on my hands after I had acrylic nails. I never had it before. My daughter also had acrylic nails for
years and she has Vitiligo. We may be genetically predisposed for Vitiligo, however no one else in the family has it. Only my
daughter and myself and we are the only ones that wore acrylic nails. I suspect it is the glue they use to put the acrylic nail on.#
27 October 2009 at 6:45 pm
Glenda said:
I have it on my hands and around my mouth, and under my arms. The hands and face are the most noticeable. I use bleaching
cream on my face to lighten the dark areas and that definitely helps. Cosmetics help too. If I go in the sun, I always wear 70 sun
screen and a hat to protect my face. It is always worse in the summer. In the winter it seems to fade some. I truly believe certain
chemicals can trigger Vitiligo. Acetone is used in nail salons to remove nail polish and I believe Acetone can tripper Vitiligo. Also
certain glues. Just a warning for those of you that have acrylic nails. I am convinced that is what triggered my Vitiligo. I rest my
case.# 27 October 2009 at 6:51 pm
great point, glenda. my vitiligo showed up in a period of my life when i was getting my nails done bi-monthly. it first appeared
just below my nail beds. i went to the dermatologist because i thought it was a fungus transferred from unsanitary tools from the

Page 66
salon…it turned out to be vitiligo. as disgusting as having a fungus sounds, i would take that over vitiligo any day # 29 October
2009 at 11:05 am
Skin lightening said:
Skin lightening-bleaching cream-skin whitening-fade cream. Don’t bleach your skin until you read this.# 4 January 2010 at 12:23
pm

Page 67
Our first vitiligo virtual meet-up

4 June 2009 One Comment
Last weekend Vitiligo Friends held our first virtual meet-ups, and they went brilliantly. It was wonderful video chatting with other
members…getting to know one another, share stories, and exchange ideas in real time!
The first one was Friday night. I couldn’t attend that one, but I did call in to the second meeting on Sunday where about 15 people
attended. During the hour long meeting we had a chance to brainstorm some future plans, which included: holding monthly
meetings that also have special guests to give presentations (like treatment options) and we spoke of organizing a world-wide
“Vitiligo Awareness” event or day.
Thanks to all who attended, and we look forward to many more opportunities to meet!
Here are the links to the recordings:
Call 1 Recording
Call 2 Recording

Page 68
One Comment
Jason said:
Hi everyone,
i watched the video, it is very nice. Can anyone tell me how to join the conference? and when?
Thanks,
Jason# 12 June 2009 at 9:28 am

Page 69
Chickpeas cure leukoderma, Banaras University scientists claim

5 June 2009 24 Comments
Scientists at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Uttar Pradesh have claimed that chickpeas or, “Choley” as they are known in
local parlance here can cure Leukoderma, a chronic skin disease that causes loss of pigmentation, resulting in white patches on
the skin.
So far there has been no knowledge of any kind of permanent and certain treatment for curing Leukoderma. Moreover, the
allopathic medicines and ointments are not only expensive but also fail to cure the disease permanently.
Scientists have found that application of a poly-herbal ointment with chickpeas as its base can effectively treat Leukoderma.
“We used lot of things to cure Leukoderma, but never been successful in curing this disease. This time we are curing patients by
putting chickpea ointment on their affected areas. We also recommend the patients to consume lot of chickpeas in their regular
diet too,” said S.N. Ojha, one of the doctors.
Amino acids found in chickpeas promote synthesis of melanin (skin pigment) formation cells, regenerate the pigment cells and
help treat the chronic skin disorder.
“When we took up this project, we followed the Ayurvedic methodology to prepare an ointment to cure this disease. In
Ayurveda, it is mentioned that chickpea can cure the problem of Leukoderma. The ointment made out of chickpea protein is very
effective on patients suffering from Leukoderma,” said Yamini Bhushan Tripathi, a scientist at the Medicinal Chemistry
Department of BHU.
Although Leukoderma is not a contagious disease, it is viewed as leprosy, an object of social stigma. It is an autoimmune disease
in which the body starts producing antibodies that destroy cells known as melanocytes giving the skin its normal colour.
Source-ANI
PRI/SK

Page 70
24 Comments
Sermin said:
There is still unknown mechanism as if the immune system cause vitiligo, how comes chick peas can cure, so there maybe a loss
of cellular function or some essential protein need to regulate production of melanin is missed or dysfunctioned in these
individuals system. A type of protein can stimulate melanin production but can not cure if the immune system cause vitiligo as
immun system has its own mechanism to work, in whole body effected by. If it is a cure, making pure, easy to use, and very
strong forms of chick peas would give us short term and cheap, easy treatment. Science should work on this, not only eat and
make a paste apply seems so primitive in this age of world when we consider that life is heavy on human being as know things to
do capture of our time like a monster. Mean is defeating a big problem as it is bad for quality of life mustn’t be again bending on
something will double this bad influence to our quality of life. Science is for to make things practical in use and should serve
people needs at first, this is what vitiligo patients need to get, already tired of all other long term hard treatment models.
Unfortunately vitiligo has never get enough attention from science as it is the oldest disease which became a secret of life for
hundred yeras. If they sure it is a cure, we all expect their high knowledge to serve to millions of people’s long run suffer. Wish all
the other disease have the similar threat from science to bring science first for human needs, not the groups profits. This has to
be done soon and must be cheap to be applicable for all those who has vitiligo and betrayed all the time..# 6 June 2009 at 8:29
am
sharon said:
can u plzz tell me about the exact method this ointment was prepared…..n was black chicpea flour used?? or urad was used??
with cover or without cover..all this is quite confusing..kindly help me…# 6 June 2009 at 10:05 am
John said:
Cure or treat? Which is it? Article states both, but they are not the same.# 6 June 2009 at 4:29 pm

Page 71
sharon said:
tats really nice…..that u spoke to the professor itself…but still my question seems to be ananswered…was it the urad or black
chicpea,,,wt or wtout cover used?? cz iv been using urad…so my concern is more…just wanted the answer fr this,,, # 8 June 2009
at 4:20 am
VEN said:
Sharon,
The trial was always with chickpeas and not URAD.
I think it is better to wait or maybe we can compose a mail together and send it to the professor or maybe we can have a conf.
call or online chat.
Kash, do you think you can set this up?Regards# 8 June 2009 at 7:16 am
Kash said:
Hi Everyone,
Just got email with regards to life style changes.
He said …to consume chickpeas in any shape and form.About 250 grams daily cooked any way.Garbanzo chana etc. Definately not
URAD.
If you have no health issues to be cooked with ghee.Which i certainly wont be doing.
Also avoid milk products and meat.
He also said To do some form of physical exercise to get your body to sweat…..sauna steam will do.
He also mentioned doing some prick test on the patches …which i have no idea what he’s on about.
He also asked me to write a letter to him agreeing to consenting in taking part in the trial! How exciting!
Having said that it will be about 3-6 months before the cream is
produced for shipping. lets all keep our fingers crossed# 8 June 2009 at 9:02 am

Page 72
sharon said:
can we hv sm contact no or smtg like that??? wanted to enquire about the medications…………. so that by the time i cld start the
trial myself….im bugged up n depressed wt my condition….the powder form of chickpea is easily available in th e market wt the
name of “besan”…it could be really nice if we cld chat online smtime..# 8 June 2009 at 9:39 am
VEN said:
Kash,Can you provide the email so that we can participate in the trial as well…# 8 June 2009 at 9:41 am
sharon said:
yes..i too wld like to participate in this…# 8 June 2009 at 9:47 am
Kash said:
Let me just reiterate that i was asked to send a letter with my address saying that i was willing to register myself for this open
clinical study……No cream alas….just to follow life style change
ie eat beans etc
Professor Yamini’s email add is yaminiok@yahoo.com# 8 June 2009 at 11:57 am
Kash said:
Frankly speaking the thought of eating that much garbanzo beans everyday fills me with horror. My poor stomach!
Have to get to the bottom of this pricking of skin business.
Apparently am supposed to inform him in a couple of months time the differnce bet pricked and unpricked skin…SIGH!
Trust me i will get to the bottom of this.
I am like a woman possessd when it comes to finding any treatment reg vitiligo. I,d track down Barack Obama if he had the cure
for vitiligo believe me!# 8 June 2009 at 12:11 pm
VEN said:
Kash,
When I was getting Vitiligo treatment a Dr. tried the pricking business… from what I understand they want to rule out Leprosy,
the same way they rule our Thyroid problem as both these diseases can be confused with vitiligo…
In this study I think they are upto something else
I will email him and ask him how we can make the paste…# 8 June 2009 at 2:02 pm
Kash said:
Ven
His e mail states
“if poss give prick stimulation under aseptic condition and for that contact a dermalogist.He will suggest some means for that.Let
me know about the results before and after2-3 months. i am more interested to know the comparative effect of patch

Page 73
sensitisation along the above changes. Therefore please make serious observations on those patches-with and without
sensitisation”
Can anyone make sense of the above?
Ven i doubt he will give you the formula for the cream. I did try.
I think its a bit more intricate than just chickpea flour.
If he does please let us all know, otherwise i guess patience is the key.# 8 June 2009 at 2:46 pm
sharon said:
hey tanx kash…fr the email id….yess itoo wld do nythng to get rid of this sick vitilgo….nytnggggg….il mail n let u knw what the
reply is..# 9 June 2009 at 5:35 am
Gerner said:
Very helpful. I will definitely be bookmarking this.# 21 June 2009 at 10:57 am
diane said:
Any news , has anyone tried this metod!# 21 September 2009 at 8:14 pm
Aamir said:
Respectable Sirs,
You are TO MAKE CHICKPEAS OINTMENT, PLEASE send us full detail of all the ingrediants and quanitiy,My sister is in this desease
Locuderma from last 4 years , we treated allopethic but still fail,We will be much Thankfull to you ,Regards,Aamir Rasheed,Lahore
Pakistan.# 31 January 2010 at 1:44 am
Poonam said:
please give the contact no. or adddress where I can get this cream.Regards# 15 March 2010 at 5:31 am
Kamal said:
Hi All,
Can somebody pls tell me , if this chickpea aointment is available now.
I am looking for it very desperately.Can someone also pls tell me, if there is any other effective available treatment.Thanks
Kamal# 18 April 2010 at 8:37 am
shona said:
my dad is under treatment for luekoderma nd he is being cured…# 16 May 2010 at 11:27 am
RA said:
Hi Shona,what is your dad using??# 16 May 2010 at 3:52 pm
shona said:
he is havng aurvedic treatment frm DR badallya
RA said:

Page 74
Thanks Shona. I have never tried aurvedic treatments. I’m not even entirely sure of what it is. Would I have to be in India for the
treatment?# 18 May 2010 at 5:07 pm
shona said:
i guess u hav to be..first talk to the doctor na..!# 22 May 2010 at 9:37 pm

Page 75
Chickpea recipes that I enjoy

6 June 2009 No Comment
Since reading articles about chickpeas helping vitiligo, I’ve been experimenting with different recipes. I figured since I can’t get
the ointment scientists used in their studies, consuming the chickpeas would be a good place to start. Here are a few recipes that
were simple enough for me to make and they were delicious. If you have a recipe you’d like to share, email it to me and i will post
it to the site.Punjabi Choley
Chole curry (chickpeas curry)
Chickpea Salad
This is a quick and healthy recipes and good for children as well as it contains the wholesome ChickPeas.
1. Boiled Chick Peas 2 Cups. ( or you can use the Canned Chickpeas which are preboiled, simply wash them in cold running water
in a seive)
2. Potato 1 Nos Medium size Boiled in the jacket ( or microwaved for 4 minutes or so)
3.Chopped Coriander leaves
4.Chopped Green Chili 1 Nos
5. Chat Masala 2 Tablespoon( this can be obtained ready made from Indian Grocery shops)
6. Red Tamarind Chutney ( see this site for the recipe) 3 Tablespoons
7. Diced Onion 1 Medium size
8. Diced Tomato 1 Nos
9. Salt (to taste)
10. Ginger julien strips small
Directions:
1. The potato should be boiled and once cooled cut in small cubes.
2. The Chickpeas should be boiled in plenty of water and then drained and washed.
3. Take diced onion, tomato and chopped green chilies and coriander and mix everything a a mixing bowl along with the chick
peas.
4. Add the Chat Masala and pour the Tamarind Chutney on top and mix lightly.
5. Squeeze some lime juice or Lemon Juice on top.
You can control the amount of green chillies, chat masala to make it less or more spicy.
If you do not have the Tamarind Chutney then you can only do it with the Lime or Lemon juice.
Thanks, http://www.punjabi-recipes.com/recipes/61.aspx

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Chickpeas for vitiligo: straight from the scientist

A few months ago, a friend of mine wrote to Dr. Yamini Bhusan. While interpreting the email, we misidentified his use of the
words “black gram” to mean urad. We now understand that it is actually Kala Chana, which can be easily found at any Indian
market.
Here is a copy of the original email:———- Forwarded message ———-
From: yaminitripathi <yaminiok@yahoo.com>
Date: 2009/3/10
Subject: Re: News About Vitiligo
To: xxxxxxx
dear xxxx
thanks for the mail.I know it is a challenging disease and needs good research.
Since it is a life style mediated disease so it needs a changed life style along with this ointment which will take 2-3 months to get
ready for shipment.
in the mean while, I would suggest to explore the possibility of collaborative research on this issue under bilateral agreement
between 2 countries.
I am suggesting the following changed life style to persons.
”
Dear friend
At the out set I would suggest the patient to stick to chick pies (Black gram) based diet as protein part of the diet (200-250 g / day
in any form) along with Ghee. One should avoid milk and meat protein.
Good physical exercise so start sweating. If older in age and not able to do exercise then hot condition for some time like sona
bath or Sweden of Panchakarma.
If possible give prick stimulation to some of the patches under aseptic condition and for that contact a dermatologist in your area.
He will suggest some means for that.
Since it is a life style related disease, so change the life and food style and observe for 3 months, the progress of the disease.

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Let me know the results before and after these changes after 2-3 months. I am more interested to know the comparative effect
of patch sensitization along with above changes. Therefore pl make serious observation on those patches (with and without
sensitization).
Send your full address and contact number for our records (registration) and also a consent letter that you are willing to register
yourself for this open clinical study. We shall keep these records to assess the response on statistical grounds.
With good wishes
Yamini bhusan
Yamini Bhusan Tripathi, Ph.D.(Biochemistry)
Professor
Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Institute of Medical Sciences
Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, India
website: www.geocities.com/ybtimsbhu
email:yaminiok@yahoo.com,yamini@bhu.ac.in
0091-542-6702171, (h)2366577, 09415694450
14 Comments
ALEX267 said:
Thanks again dear for your assistance !!!!!!!!!# 10 June 2009 at 6:54 am
cheryl planert said:
Just for the readers’ info, I acquired vitiligo about 16 years ago. i was a vegetarian at the time, eating lots of dal, and the vitiligo
was very slow-growing. Two years ago I moved from LA to North Dakota and started eating meat and drinking goat’s milk. My
vitiligo began to grow quite rapidly. I’m now wondering if it might be because I added the meat and dairy to my diet. I am
definitely going to try Dr. Bhusan’s suggestion, and will write him as well. I am curious to know what Panchkarma is, and I’ve not
heard of prick stimulation, although I can guess at its nature.
Also, has anyone found a good organic source for Kala Chana, and is Kala Chana the same as Chana Dal?!? # 10 June 2009 at 5:13
pm
christophe france said:
DEARS,WHERE CAN WE FIND OINTMENT BASED ON CHIKC PEAS?
50 YEARS OLD; SINCE 3-4 YEARS MY PATCHES ARE GROWING DESPITE OF NEW HABITS OF EATING; IT WAS STABILISED DURING 40
YEARS; # 11 June 2009 at 3:05 am
sharon said:

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to cheryl planert
chana dal is kala chana itself but without the covering….yes according to ayurveda diary products n non veg is prohibited for
vitilgo..# 11 June 2009 at 5:41 am
JamesD said:
Thanks for the useful info. It’s so interesting# 11 June 2009 at 8:33 am
VEN said:
Cheryl,
I think it is difficult to find organic Kala Channa. But you can find Kala channa in any indian store near you.
I think some of the food chains carry it as well check them under Spanish/Asian isle. I would suggest Indian store as it is cheap.
Check this out on encyclopedia….
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chickpea.jpg
Regards# 11 June 2009 at 8:45 am
gehendra chandra bhandari said:
actually i am still confused about the exact raw material . what is black gram?, urad and so on. which bean or gram is useful for
vitiligo treatment? please assure me sending email with the photo of the material. hope to get reply from
email:yaminiok@yahoo.com,yamini@bhu.ac.inregards# 24 June 2009 at 1:16 am
Jason said:
Hi – I have always loved beans, legumes etc so added these to my diet just because I thought they might be beneficial. I asked for
‘Kala Chana’ in the local Indian produce shop and they had tons of it available! They are called ‘Chickpeas Tyson’ in the Indian
shops in Australia. It is like a standard chick pea (as in hummus) but smaller and sort of dark yellow/brown. Also, they have a
much harder texture, even when soaked and cooked. Kind of yummy though, and you can include them in Indian or western
dishes to add variety. Anyway, I can’t say whether they are helpful or not, but they are certainly doing no harm!
Thanks to the people who researched this. Any progress on the trial of them cream?
Jason.
# 14 July 2009 at 4:03 am
cito said:
SO WE SHOULD EAT KALA CHANA AND NOT CHICKPEAS?# 15 July 2009 at 10:18 am
Nikola said:
Hi there ! Has anyone tried own treatment for vitiligo with black chickpeas / kala chana already? perhaps made own ointment,
etc. ? Any success story so far?# 20 September 2009 at 3:40 am
arun said:

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Thanks Guys , I got good information from this blog, i am vitiligo patient, since 15 years,
I will start adding Chickpeas to my daily diet,
i am in USA, here i will be getting soaked chickpeas in TIN,is that fine, if I use soaked chickpeas.# 30 January 2010 at 11:43 am
jai said:
what is prick simulation?# 1 March 2010 at 6:59 pm
Rajeev said:
Hi,
Has anyone tried the same and would like to share the results?# 13 May 2010 at 10:20 pm
chengelli prasanna said:
Dear sir,
I’m prasanna from AP,the student of chaithanya pg college at warangal. am persuing my msc just waiting for my 4th semister
results.Sir i want information aoubt phd’s in biochemistry.i have tried to contact you but i couldn’t.sir i have interest in ayurved
too if any work or jobor phd works could you please send the details.
thanking you sir.
# 28 May 2010 at 12:23 am
Does your skin need a shrink?

I came across this interesting article today, and though the information within deals with eczema, I believe that it may just be
beneficial to those of us with vitiligo as well.
Emerging field of psycho-dermatology aims to soothe the soul, too
The hives started as soon as Lorelei Russ moved in with her boyfriend.“At first, I thought it was the latex paint or the cats or
something environmental,” says Russ, 32, of Brooklyn, N.Y. “So I went to a doctor who told me to take antihistamines.”
The drugs didn’t help, but after nine months of breakouts, Russ discovered something that did: a breakup.
“I slowly figured out that my hives only happened when I was with my boyfriend,” says Russ. “It became my stress reaction. As
soon as I left the relationship, my skin stopped freaking out.”
While Russ didn’t realize it, she’d stumbled onto the powerful mind-body connection that is at the heart of an emerging field
known as psychodermatology. Focusing on the boundary between psychiatry and dermatology, psychodermatologists (or “skin
shrinks”) care for the skin and the soul, dovetailing traditional treatments like antibiotics or topical medications with alternative
methods such as relaxation, biofeedback, self-hypnosis or psychotherapy.

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“An estimated 30 to 60 percent of people who come to a doctor for help with skin problems also have emotional issues that are
churning as well,” says Dr. Ted Grossbart, an assistant clinical professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School and author of
“Skin Deep: A New Mind/Body Program for Healthy Skin.”
“These emotional stressors can keep the best skin medicine in the world from working,” he says. “You’ve got to address what’s
going on in the heart as well as on the skin.”
A perfect storm for skin trouble
Stephanie Gasper, 32, of Kirkland, Wash., would agree. Since childhood, she’s suffered from psoriasis, a scaly skin condition
exacerbated by stress. Two years ago, Gasper found herself amid a perfect storm of stress when she had to organize a move from
England to the United States, plan her wedding and have her wisdom teeth out — all at the same time.
“My psoriasis just got worse and worse,” she says. “I remember trying on wedding dresses and being so embarrassed because
you could see all of this red, scaly skin. But as soon as everything was settled and I was on the plane for the States, it completely
disappeared.”
Now that Gasper has given birth to a new — and colicky — baby, though, her psoriasis is back, and she’s shopping for a
psychodermatologist. “My doctors would always tell me to take a bath with candlelight or try to listen to music to calm down, but
they’d never actually prescribe any alternative treatments,” says Gasper. “I’m definitely ready to go for that now.”
One of the first names on her list is Dr. Bernard Goffe, founder of Dermatology Associates of Seattle.
“Whenever my old patients come in with a flare-up of eczema or acne or psoriasis, the first thing we do is ask, ‘What’s going on
with your life?’” says Goffe. “And often they’ll be in the middle of a fight with their boss or going through a divorce. I had one
patient where you could almost draw a curve correlating his hair loss with the ups and downs of the lumber market. I find a very
frequent relationship with these things.”
Goffe — who says he’s recommended psychiatrists, antidepressants and biofeedback to his patients, with good results — is not
the only one who’s spotted this mind-skin connection.
In August 2006, the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology published a study that found 57 percent of patients
suffering from alopecia (or hair loss) had total or partial hair regrowth after undergoing hypnosis. And a series of small studies
conducted at Carleton University in Canada found half of patients lost their warts after undergoing hypnosis.
Relaxation tapes, meanwhile, have been shown to help those suffering from psoriasis; researchers at the University of
Massachusetts Medical School discovered that patients who listened to meditation tapes while receiving UV light treatments saw
their skin clear up nearly four times faster than those who got the light treatment alone. And in a case report published in the
journal Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, a 56-year-old woman who suffered from severe psoriasis lesions on her arms
for seven years despite trying all the standard medical treatments was cured after 13 weeks of biofeedback therapy.
None of this surprises Kristen Salvestrini of Beverly, Mass., one bit.

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The 27-year-old spent a year in and out of doctor’s offices, trying everything from steroid creams to a strawberry-free diet to rid
herself of a pervasive eczemalike rash; she finally turned to Grossbart, who used guided imagery and psychotherapy.
“It came out that I’d been through a pretty devastating breakup which corresponded to the time when my skin started having
problems,” says Salvestrini, who is rash-free these days. “One of my big things is not expressing my emotions, especially anger.
But those emotions have of way of coming up one way or another.”
Hypnosis for hives
Psychodermatology can cover everything from a “ring finger” rash suffered by a someone in an unhappy marriage to psychiatric
disorders that result in self-inflicted skin damage to the isolation felt by those living with highly visible skin disorders such as
psoriasis, alopecia or vitiligo (patches of de-pigmented skin).
“We have groups that provide education, but they also provide psychological support, like group therapy,” says Dr. Bernard
Cohen, a pediatric dermatologist at John Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore. “They’ve absolutely helped.”
And while some might raise an eyebrow at treating hives with hypnosis, or eczema with antidepressants, Salvestrini says the
bottom line for her is that psychodermatology offers people an alternative.
“A lot of times when I was going from allergist to dermatologist to nurse practitioner, I’d start to feel really hopeless because it
wasn’t getting better,” she says. “It’s just great to know there’s something else out there that may work.”
By Diane Mapes
msnbc.com contributor
updated 7:47 a.m. CT, Mon., Feb. 12, 2007
Diane Mapes is a Seattle freelance writer and author of the recently released “How to Date in a Post-Dating World.”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17009655/

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3 Comments
cheryl planert said:
Right on! Having read somewhere that vitiligo can triggered by trauma, not only physical, but emotional, I think it imperative that
we aim to healing our inner turmoils and not just to applying our energies to the outside, visible (skin) realm. I am taking Gary
Craig’s EFT (emofree.com) course and have come to believe that emotional wounds may keep the vitiligo active. EFT can be done
by anyone, to yourself, in about 5 minutes. Given a daily “treatment”, I have read of at least one vitiligo case that completely
cleared. Go to the site, download the free manual. If any one needs help with this, feel free to e-mail me. Together, I know we
can heal ourselves!# 22 June 2009 at 6:43 am
Reuben Powell said:
the redness and itchiness of Psoriasis can be relieved easily by corticosteroids.”‘`# 3 May 2010 at 10:22 am
Jesus Ross said:
my friend is a Psoriasis sufferer for several years and there seems to be no permanent cure for it. **# 5 May 2010 at 10:22 pm

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Hypothyroidism, excimer laser re-pigmentation

5 July 2009 9 Comments
First of all, I want to share some very exciting news. I went in for a TSH test on Tuesday because 2 years ago I stopped taking
synthroid for my hypothyroidism and though I’ve been taking an all natural thyroid activator, a doctor friend of mine asked me to
come in to have my levels checked to be sure it was indeed working. I received the great news on Friday: I no longer have
hypothyroidism!
My doctor friend couldn’t explain the change, so, either my body just decided to work properly on it’s own, or the visualization I
practiced worked. Either way, I am ecstatic with the results.
Secondly, I’d like to share some photo’s of recent results from my excimer xtrac laser treatments. The white outlines show the
previous edges of my vitiligo. I have drawn in arrows to point out a few of the newly repigmentated areas. You will notice that
the new freckles are a bit darker in color than my natural skin tone.

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9 Comments
Kash said:
Well done Natalie,
I am delighted to hear your good news. You deserve it for all the great work you have done with your website. i cannot
emphasise enough how wonderful it is. It has been a godsend to me.
ps what visualising techniques have you been doing?# 6 July 2009 at 10:22 am
Terri said:
Hi Natalie,
I recently stop taking my synthroid. I went to the doctor and my levels were also normal. I wonder if the vitiligo has something to
do with taking the synthroid, because I had a friend tell me that even if your thyroid is working your TSH levels will always come
back normal while taking synthriod, so the only way to know is to stop taking them. What did you taking 2 years ago? What are
you taking now?I am currently taking probiotics. And praying and believing God!
Thank you for sharing. Terri# 9 July 2009 at 10:06 am
k said:
I went to a laser centre in LA, couple of months ago, they told me that the chance of returning the pigments back is 50-50. I
decided not to take the chance because it was too costly for me to go with such low success rate.# 9 July 2009 at 1:06 pm
lynn said:
Hello, I had vitiligo for 25 years before I began taking synthroid. I have now been taking synthroid for about 15 years. My doctor
said that vitiligo was caused from my thyroid. I’m hypothroid. My vitiligo is no better after all these years of taking synthroid. I’m
about 99 percent depigmented all over. I do not think synthroid causes vitiligo and I do not think that synthroid makes it worse.
Vitiligo just has a mind of its own. Anyway, I was just wanting to also know what you took Natalie as a natural thyroid activator
because I have tried 3 times to stop taking synthroid to see if my thyroid would work on its own again, but it won’t. I always get
very sick again without the synthroid. I would like to find something natural that would make my thyroid work again. I have
always wondered if I could find something natural to make my thyroid work, that maybe my vitiligo would reverse itself. Never
give up hope…Thanks for listening,—–Lynn
# 16 July 2009 at 2:55 pm
sf said:
Hi Nathalie,
Thanks for this vitiligo support site! I am looking forward to updates of your treatment progress. By the way, I read that you were
using Protopic. What is Protopic supposed to do, and what has it done for your repigmentation? How is it beneficial to use
Protopic along with Excimer laser treatments?# 5 August 2009 at 12:26 pm

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hi sf,
i use protopic intermittently- instead of daily- because of the health concerns linked with this topical med. i will research and
write a blog this week about what protopic is and what is does…for both our benefits # 6 August 2009 at 8:11 am
velika said:
ihavehypotireodism howmany chanceihave to get vitiligodid anyone who has hypotirodismmost be have and vitiligo# 7
September 2009 at 4:23 pm
Stacy said:
Hi,
I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism when I was 14 I’m 25 now and stopped taking my thyroid medicine Synthroid about a year
an a half ago when my insurance ran out. I now have insurance and a new doctor and when he checked my blood they found that
my Thyroid is normal!! I was told when first diagnosed that I would be on the medicine for the rest of my life! So I guess it’s the
same with you a miracle!# 12 September 2009 at 5:35 pm
Rosa said:
I also have Hypothyroidism. I had vitiligo for alomst 20 years before I was diagnosed, so I don’t think it caused it. I’ve heard that it
is also in the same category, an autoimmune deficiency. I also have Fibromyalgia.# 17 September 2009 at 9:41 am

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Vitiligo repigmentation photos

11 July 2009
Lately, quite a few people have been leaving comments asking about my excimer xtrac laser treatments, so I thought I would post
some new comparison photos.
I edited the coloring in photoshop to make the newly pigmented areas more obvious; however, this in no way affected the true
results. The darker areas show where there is pigment.
The first photo gives my hand a distorted look, but this is due to rotating it so my hand would be facing upwards. I don’t have an
exact date which photo 1 was taken, but I estimate that it was approximately 6 months ago. The progress has been slow and
steady, but well worth the wait. I just hope that the re-pigmentation lasts.

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Celiac research may hold clues to vitiligo cure

23 July 2009 3 Comments
I came across an enlightening article this morning in Scientific American magazine, August 2009 issue, called Surprises from Celiac
Disease.
A new study by Dr. Alessio Fasano may reveal means of delaying or preventing celiac disease and offer help for other
autoimmune disorders.
The forthcoming August 2009 issue of Scientific American contains a fascinating in-depth article about celiac disease. In this
extensive and informative article entitled ‘Surprises from Celiac Disease’, Dr. Fasano announces important research out of the
University of Maryland.
A long-term clinical study will investigate the relationship between delayed introduction of gluten during the first year of life and
the onset of celiac disease in infants.
“Given the apparently shared underpinning of autoimmune disorders in general, researchers who investigate those conditions are
eager to learn whether therapeutic strategies for CD might also ease other autoimmune conditions that currently lack good
treatments.”
‘Surprises from Celiac Disease’ examines a connection between the reaction to gluten in those with celiac disease and the onset
of other autoimmune diseases. Fasano identifies possible ties through a similar trio of factors that are at the root of the onset of
celiac disease and other autoimmune conditions: increased intestine permeability, environmental factors, and a genetic
predisposition in patients of celiac disease.
As Fasano explains, “Celiac disease provides an enormously valuable model for understanding autoimmune disorders because it is
the only example where the addition or removal of a simple environmental component, gluten, can turn the disease process on
and off.” For information, look in the August 2009 issue of Scientific American online or at your newsstand. UPDDATE 7/22/2009:
the complete article can be viewed here.

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3 Comments
Amanda said:
I have had vitiligo for 40 years, and I would like to tell you, please get checked for gluten intolerance as soon as possible!!!
I just found out and I think that’s what it has been eating my beautiful color all this years, gluten can be a poison for some of us,
do not relay on the clasic symptoms, get checked!!!# 1 August 2009 at 4:37 pm
Kimberly said:
Amanda….
Are you white or black? I’m white and have noticed that over the last 3 months my back, shoulders and now my stomach is losing
pigment. It looks horrible. You know it’s bad when you go for a massage and the therapist says “oh my”. My question to you is
around gluten. Did you try a gluten free diet or did your Dr. make the recommendation? Also do you have any websites that
would help.
Thanks…# 8 August 2009 at 10:06 pm
Amanda said:
Hi Kimberley I’m Hispanic living in Canada, a female doctor told me I was probably gluten intolerant and she ordered the lab test,
which became positive, ask your doctor, they look for the antibodies to gluten. Also check on line for signs and symptoms of
celiac disease.
# 10 August 2009 at 8:10 pm

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How does protopic work on vitiligo?

7 August 2009 8 Comments
I received a comment on a previous post in which I wrote about protopic being added to my excimer xtrac laser treatments. The
writer asked how it works on vitiligo; upon reading the question I laughed at myself because I had no idea. Why on earth had I
not researched protopic a bit more before using it?
So, here it is…more info than you may need about protopic
What stuck out to me in this info:
1. no evidence of skin cancer has been associated with use of these agents in humans
2. it supresses the immune reponse associated with vitiligo
3. it’s not a steroid
4. works for some, but not all, cases of vitiligo
5. it’s not absorbed into the bloodstream or body

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What is Protopic
Both protopic and elidel have been reported in the US to be associated with development of skin cancers in animals. This was
with larger quantities of calcineurin inhibitor creams and there is no evidence that this finding has been associated with use of
these agents in humans. Most dermatologists (even in the US) consider both elidel and protopic to be very safe in human use
provided there is regular medical supervision.
Protopic (Tacrolimus) is a treatment that has mainly been used for atopic dermatitis (eczema). It is made from a rare soil
bacterium found only on the island of Honshu in Japan which appears to have unique qualities in suppressing immune
response. Over the last few years it has been used in clinical studies for the treatment of vitiligo.
Most experts believe that vitiligo is the result of the , mistakenly generating anti-bodies to the sufferer’s pigment cells, which
attack and kill or weaken such cells. Protopic works to down-regulate (suppress) the immune response in a local area of skin,
where the vitiligo is located; it has a similar effect to steroid treatment, but without the side-effects. The ointment is showing
very good success in many (but not all) people who are using it.
Protopic can be prescribed by GPs for vitiligo, although it is not licensed for this condition. Often a dermatologist may
recommend it but ask the GP to actually prescribe it.
The most common advice for patients by doctors is to apply the ointment twice a day with many doctors also recommending that
their vitiligo patients expose themselves to natural sunlight a few times a week for 15 – 30 minutes. What is most reassuring to
many users is that Protopic does not seem to be readily absorbed into the bloodstream or body, therefore keeping the treatment
fairly localised. The product itself is available in two strengths .03% strength (usually for children) and also 1%.
One thing that should be remembered is that whilst Protopic is showing good results for many it can still take time for others to
see any improvement. A period of three to six months is not unusual to see initial results and 100% repigimentation is still
difficult, especially on certain parts of the body, such as the hands. Best results have been observed on the face. Even so once an
area has re-pigmented it may be subject to a future relapse; some patients have reported long-lasting results whereas others
have experienced a relapse.
There are some investigations into testing Narrow Band UVB Light Treatment in combination with Protopic and this combination
has shown enhanced repigmentation in some studies. Further studies are required to determine the safe parameters for this
combination.
resource: http://www.vitiligosociety.org.uk/treatments/protopic.html

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8 Comments
sf said:
Hi Nathalie,
Thanks for the sharing your research with us! Very informative! I’m just curious as to what your dermatologist said about Protopic
when he/she prescribed it to you. Are you personally noticing any advantages when using the ointment? Any side effects? How’s
the repigmentation process by the way?# 10 August 2009 at 11:21 am
hi sf,
actually, i asked him for the protopic and he agreed that it could help…i think it has. so far, there have been no side effects, but i
do have to be careful to not apply it the night before a treatment because the skin will be to photosensitive.
the woman who normally does my treatment has been out for 6 weeks because she had a baby. when she returned last week,
she couldnt believe how much pigmentation had occurred while she was away.
it’s so difficult to see results on yourself since you see your skin everyday, but her words made me take notice of the large
amounts of new pigmentation. # 17 August 2009 at 6:22 pm
tash said:
we have just got back from seeing the dermatologist. my 13 yr old son has vitiligo as well as type 1 diabetes. (i know, what a
bummer!!) we have been given protopic 0.1 and will let you know what happens!# 11 September 2009 at 10:30 am
acnelady said:
Vitiligo has no permament cure, it can only be controlled by some medications.# 13 September 2009 at 5:22 am
sf said:
Hi Tash,
Hope the Protopic treatment works! I read younger people have better response to topical creams. Keep us posted!# 17
CJ said:
Hi I need help I’m 31 yrs of age and I have 2 white spots on my face the derm gave me some protopic cream, but I don’t see a
change
it makes me feel so insecure at times, I have tried make up to cover – it doesn’t work my skin is a dark completion . I have a dr
appts approaching I;m going to ask her about the Vit, cream lotion .
any suggestion ?# 2 October 2009 at 9:51 am
Jamie said:
I have just started using Protopic for a small patch of vitiligo I’ve had for about 25 years. I was prescribed it by the dermatologist
almost a year ago, but after I read all the warnings and possible health risks related to this medication, I held off using it until

Page 93
now. The dermatologist told me to ignore the FDA warnings, and that made me worried so I did some researching and decided
after reading about the possible links to cancers, to use it only as a last resort. Well now it’s the last resort and I’m cautiously
testing it out for a short time. I usually treat my body fairly good, I eat mostly organic food, and stay away from environmental
toxins as much as I can, and using something like this goes against my better judgement, but I like most other people suffering
from vitiligo, I’m getting desperate to rid myself of this condition and will try almost anything promising results. As far as results
go, I’ve been using it as recommended on the box for over 3 weeks now with no apparent noticeable change yet. I really don’t
want to have to use this medication for very long, especially since the warnings on the box say it’s not intended for long term
exposure, and that the risks of cancer come from long term exposure. The cream itself is made of a toxic mineral oil base that
itself would be harmful to use log term. Most of the research done on it with vitiligo though tell you to use the cream for at least
3 months. I think that’s crazy since it goes against the warnings of the drug company. I hope I see some positive results soon. I
would be very disappointed, and angry at myself for exposing my body to something so toxic for nothing. Has anyone out there
seen any results from Protopic after just a few weeks or have you had to wait months?# 23 December 2009 at 12:50 am
S.J said:
Dear Sir/Madam,
My wife is suffering from vitiligo. Her comments is given below.
“I am a 41 years old woman, suffering from vitiligo on my face, neck, hand and foot for many years. As well my mother and
younger sister are suffering the same complication.
I have heard about Protopic and searched the Internet for the subject and found many comments. In my country dermatologists
say that combined usage of protopic and UVB is useful for very small big spots where there are many spots in a certain location
not for small and sparse spots.
Would you please tell me how should I use Protopic with some information about method and interval of use, or other
instructions, how should i start it. Does it work with no UVB.
I would be appreciated for your kind reply.# 8 March 2010 at 10:23 am

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Excimer laser treatments august 2009 update

31 August 2009 No Comment
Last week my dermatologist determined that it was time to take a 3 month break from my xtrac laser treatments to keep me in
the safe zone against the risk of skin cancer (wouldn’t it be nice if our body had the ability to protect us from sun over-
exposure?). Not only is this a great precaution, it’s also going to give us an opportunity to see: a) if my skin cells will be able to
stimulate re-pigmentation on its own, and b) if my skin will retain all of the new pigmentation i’ve gotten from the laser
treatments.
We took detailed photos of the areas treated so we will have a baseline to use when i return.

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Does stress trigger vitiligo?

6 September 2009 No Comment
Many of us wonder if vitiligo might be triggered by stress, and I have come across a study performed in 2003 by the
Dermatological Institute of Italy. The results really surprised me.
The Study:
“Background: It has often been suggested that stress might trigger vitiligo. However, only one study supported this hypothesis,
and no study explored the role of other personality or social factors.
Methods: Out-patients experiencing a recent onset or exacerbation of vitiligo (n = 31) were compared with out-patients with skin
conditions in which psychosomatic factors are commonly were regarded as negligible (n = 116).
Stressful events during the last 12 months were assessed with Paykel’s Interview for Recent Life Events. Attachment style,
alexithymia and social support were assessed with the ‘Experiences in Close Relationships’ questionnaire, the Toronto
Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, respectively.
Results: Cases and controls did not differ regarding the total number of events and the number of undesirable, uncontrollable or
major events. Three or more uncontrollable events had occurred more frequently among cases than controls. Perceived social
support was lower in cases than in controls. Cases scored higher than controls on anxious attachment, tended towards higher
scores on avoidant attachment and were classified more often as insecure. Cases scored higher than controls on the TAS-20 and
were classified more often as alexithymic or borderline alexithymic. The occurrence of many uncontrollable events, alexithymia
and anxious attachment were associated with vitiligo also in multiple logistic regression analysis.
Conclusions: These findings suggest that vulnerability to vitiligo is not increased by stressful events, except for many
uncontrollable events. Alexithymia, insecure attachment and poor social support appear to increase susceptibility to vitiligo,
possibly through deficits in emotion regulation or reduced ability to cope effectively with stress. Copyright © 2003 S. Karger AG,
Basel

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Will a break in laser treatments yield change?

A couple of weeks ago I told you about my dermatologist taking a 3 month break from my treatments so as to protect my skin.
My main concern was whether the newly pigmented skin would encourage new pigmentation in the surrounding areas or if it
would fade.
I haven’t been using the protopic or taking my vitamins, because i wanted to view the results without interference. I believe the
new pigmentation is slowly fading. And I’m noticing that some of the areas that were previously pink (normally the precursor to
pigmentation) are now a milky white.
Starting tonight, i will be applying the protopic to my right hand and chin areas only. This should allow me to see if the protopic
makes a difference, and to continue watching the reaction of the un-medicated newly pigmented, but fading, areas.
India foils bid to get patent for vitiligo cure
22 September 2009 7 Comments
NEW DELHI: India has for the first time ever managed to foil a bio-piracy bid in a record three weeks time.
Thanks to the recently created Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL), which has till now completed documenting over two
lakh medical formulations of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani to save them from piracy, the European Patent Office (EPO) has
canceled its earlier “intent to grant patent” order to a Spanish company on the use of melon extract to cure vitiligo (leucoderma)
— a disease that causes skin de-pigmentation to almost 65 million people globally.
Interestingly, under India’s ancient Unani system of medicine, hakeems have for hundreds of years been using melon extract to
cure this disease. Michael Jackson was probably the world’s most famous vitiligo patient.
After studying India’s documents available in the TKDL which confirmed “evidence of prior art”, the EPO has decided against
granting patent for the anti-vitiligo cream to the Spanish company Perdix group SL.
Earlier patent related challenges made by India lasted years. Among the most famous were the patent application over neem’s
anti-fungal properties which took India 10 years to revoke, the patent application on the wound healing properties of turmeric
which took three years, and that of Basmati rice against an US-based company which took well over a year.
A Union health ministry official told TOI, “This is a major victory for us. The TKDL, which has documented and translated
knowledge of traditional Indian medicines from Hindi, Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian, Urdu and Tamil to five international languages —
English, Japanese, French, German and Spanish — will greatly help in fighting foreign companies and countries from claiming
patents over information and practices already available in India.”
It took eight years to create the TKDL.
In order to confirm EPO’s order, TOI scanned through its website and found that application number EP1747786 titled, “Natural
product in cream with anti-vitiligo (leucoderma) therapeutic properties”, was filed by Perdix Euro group SL, Spain, in July 2006.

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The patent was for a cream that uses vegetal ingredients such as melon, bay rum and lemon, which when employed on the white
patches resulted in regeneration of melanocytes.
EPO decided to grant the Spanish company patent for its cream on June 4, 2009.
On July 8, 2009, India provided evidence to EPO — books like Quarabadeen Najmul Ghani, Khazain-al-Adviyah and Muheet-e-
Azam by Indian hakeems Mohammad Najmul Ghani Khan and Mohammad Azam Khan — that extensively talked about melon’s
anti-vitiligo properties and how it has been used here for over 1,200 years. On July 27, EPO cancelled its intention to grant patent
to the Spanish company.
Treatment options for vitiligo are presently limited. Current day options include phototherapy which needs to be administered
for three days every week for three years to achieve even partial pigmentation — that too in only 30% of the patients.
Ministry officials said, “However in phototherapy, even normal areas suffer unnecessary UV exposure. Instead, under the Unani
system, which uses a paste of the peel of the melon skin, cures only those parts affected by vitiligo.”
They added, “Most of us don’t believe in India’s traditional medicines. This will prove how India’s traditional knowledge is of such
great demand across the world and is tried and tested.”
reprinted from India foils Spanish company’s bid to get patent for vitiligo cure
Kounteya Sinha, TNN 17 September 2009, 02:41am IST
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/india/India-foils-Spanish-companys-bid-to-get-patent-for-vitiligo-
cure/articleshow/5019436.cms

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7 Comments
Sharada said:
Dear friends,
“under the Unani system, which uses a paste of the peel of the melon skin, cures only those parts affected by vitiligo.”
Eating water melon is prohibited if one is taking the medicine for vitiligo Under the same Unani system, please correct me if I am
wrong. A series of food items are shown as contraindicative like citrus fruits, water melon, pumpkin, brinjal, ladies finger, milk
and milk products etc are some of them. Same thing is followed in Ayurveda practice of medication for vitiligo, however water
melon and pumpkin are not indicated there. Please clarify if this is true. sharada# 23 September 2009 at 12:46 am
Hi Sharada,
I wish I could guide you more, but the article is a reprint, and the info contained was gathered by a third party. However, it is
from an Indian newspaper, so I would hope their information about the Unani system and Ayurveda practice, is accurate.
cheers
nathalie# 23 September 2009 at 7:32 am
Sharada said:
Hello Nathalie,
Thanks for the prompt reply and for running this forum for people having
vitiligo. We are from India. My daughter (Mrudula who is also registered here) has vitiligo on her fingers and feet since three
years. She is quite inspired when she reads many of the success stories that are published here.
We have tried Unani for a year, as it has lot of food restrictions (My daughter loves Water melon which is her favourite fruit,
unani does not permit eating it) and the results were not encouraging so we stopped and switched over to ayurveda medicine
from Patanjali (Baba Ramdev whose teachings are spread worldwide on the subject of healthy living by doing Yoga & breathing
exercises). With this there is some improvement however it is very slow.Ayurveda also has some food restrictions like avoiding
sour food, milk and milk products etc. I have substituted soya milk in place of dairy milk. any other suggesions in this line are
welcome. I would do a google on the water melon peel and Unani medicine topic and come back to you. Thanks once again.
Bye Sharada# 24 September 2009 at 12:54 am
Meenakshi said:
store water overnight in a copper glass and drink it first thing in the morning,is supposed to be good in the treatment of Vitiligo.#
18 April 2010 at 11:02 am
RA said:
have u tried it???# 18 April 2010 at 5:24 pm

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Meenakshi,
where did you get this idea? Have you tried it? and finally, if you have and it ‘cured’ your vitiligo, forward photos to me so we can
see the actual results. cheers.
NOTE: Dearest readers, As administrator of this site I do read each comment and if it touts a cure I ask for photo’s of the results,
so we can be sure that it does indeed work before you try it. To date, no one has ever submitted photo’s of their positive results.
We are all in search of a cure for vitiligo, but please, do not rush into trying every idea suggested in the comments. Your physical
safety is of the utmost importance, so always be very cautious and ask questions before trying anything.# 19 April 2010 at 2:37
pm
VEN said:
All,
I have vitiligo for th past 28 years and I have tried Unani medicine for around 6-8 years. Back than there was no mention of Melon
extract but they did ask me to apply neem/eucalyptus oil and expose the vitiligo parts to sunlight.
Regarding the diet lot of food items are restricted like milk,cheese,beef,lime,lemon,orange(basically all types of vitamin c),
banana,eggs,tamarind.
I was eating only certain foods like chicken,lamb,chick peas, mango(sweet variety), okra,beans,melon.
I am positive Melon was included in the diet.
The concept of drinking water from copper glass doesn’t make sense to me as it still will be H2O.
I will try to find out more on this melon cream and I will try to apply if any of you can tell me where I can get it or if you have
more information on this please let me know.
Regards,
V# 22 April 2010 at 7:54 am

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Does bioperine stimulate repigmentation?

I’ve been wanting to try piperine as a potential cure for my vitiligo, but had a hard time finding it in St. Louis. Last weekend I
finally came across a little store in the Central West End called, Golden Grocer. They have an impressive array of natural food,
essential oils, vitamins, homeopathic concoctions, and magical potions. Okay, I’m kidding about the potions. Not only is this store
a treasure trove of natural remedies, the sales staff was very informative and not in the least bit overbearing.
I bought BioPerine® because it is the only product sourced out of piperine to have obtained a patented status for its ability to
increase the bioavailability of nutritional compounds. Secondly, it is the only source from piperine to have undergone clinical
studies in the U.S. to substantiate its safety and efficacy for nutritional use. Piperine has been shown in clinical trials to stimulate
re-pigmentation.
Even if Bioperine doesn’t directly cause re-pigmentation, it could contribute to it. it is known that some people with vitiligo are
very low in B12 and folic acid…our bodies simply do not absorb it properly. well, if the bioperine increases the ability to absorb
nutrients, then the vitamins i am taking should produce better results.
i will keep you informed.

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2 Comments
J said:
Can you cite your source for the benefits of bioperine and that low b12 / folic acid could be a contributing factor? Thx.# 23
hi j,
a quick internet search on either bioperine or the b12/folic acid deficiency connection to vitiligo, will yield a multitude of results,
but here are a few…
bioperine:
http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-150572-Cardiotek-RX++Bioperine++Oral.aspx?drugid=150572&drugname=Cardiotek-
RX++Bioperine++Oral&source=0&pagenumber=4
http://www.bioperine.com/
b12 and folic acid:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9394983
http://www.nvfi.org/pages/info_vitamins.php
http://www.mdconsult.com/das/citation/body/161865476-
2/jorg=journal&source=MI&sp=12792473&sid=0/N/12792473/1.html?issn=
# 23 September 2009 at 1:45 pm

Page 102
Something Can Be Done For Vitiligo

The following information is from pages 1149 through 1151, Chapter 255, found in The Encyclopedia of Common Diseases by the
staff of Prevention Magazine which included Charles Gerras, E. John Hanna, John Feltman, Joan Bingham, Joseph Golant and Anne
Moyer. Copyright 1976 by Rodale Press. Printed in 1983.
Chapter 255. Something Can Be Done For Vitiligo
“There is little discussion of the disease in medical textbooks, except for the detailed descriptions of it. The impression is that the
medical profession sees little to be done for the victims of vitiligo except to recommend cosmetics…
Several years ago, Dr. Benjamin Sieve, a professor at Tufts Medical School, compiled a comprehensive history of the treatments in
use dating back to the 1930’s and 1940’s, and the then-current thinking on the subject. Among the treatments described by Dr.
Sieve was one used by Dr. H. W. Francis. He thought the disease was due to the absence of hydrochloric acid in the stomach,
since he had vitiligo and found the acid absent in himself. He took 15 cubic centimeter doses of hydrochloric acid at each meal for
two years and noted that the light areas completely disappeared. He used the same therapy on three other patients and
reported similar results. Dr. Sieve suggested that the effect of the hydrochloric might have been to aid in the processing and
absorption of necessary nutrients.
Para-amino-benzoic acid (PABA ), a B vitamin, has been mentioned repeatedly in connection with the treatment of vitiligo. Dr. M.
J. Costello, in the Archives of Dermatology and Syphilology (February, 1943) reported success in treating vitiligo of the eye-lids in
a two-year-old child with 100 mg. of PABA daily. Dr. Sieve was impressed with the potential of PABA and set up an experiment to
observe its effect on 48 cases of vitiligo.
The group consisted of 25 females and 23 males, ranging in age from 10 to 70 years. The vitiligo condition had persisted from two
to 28 years. Most of the patients showed evidence of chronically poor diet and a history of gland imbalance….
After only partial success with administering a patent combination of B complex vitamins, Dr. Sieve instituted injections of the
vitamin, coupled with monoethananolamine ( to help the vitamin remain in the blood longer) twice daily- morning and evening-
and a 100 mg. tablet of PABA to be taken at noon and at bedtime. He soon observed new pigmentation in the depigmented
areas. Within four to eight weeks the milk white areas of vitiligo turned pinkish. In six to 16 weeks after therapy was started,
small islands of brown pigment were usually noted within the areas of vitiligo. Soon streaks were thrown form these islands and
the streaks reached out to join other islands. Eventually the islands disappeared and the repigmentation became complete. The
results of the therapy in all 48 patients were termed “striking” after six or seven months.
Dr. Sieve stressed, time and again, the important part diet plays in vitiligo. In his opinion hormonal imbalance can also cause the
disease, and contributory factors can be wounds, infections, pressure points, and light rays. The problem with vitiligo is more
complex than the simple lack of the B vitamin PABA. According to Dr. Sieve’s research, dietary deficiencies must be corrected,
hormonal imbalances righted and local infections cleared up before a single specific vitamin can be expected to have any

Page 103
effect. He also emphasized that the injections to supplement the tablets are essential, because the vitamin alone, taken orally,
does not remain in the blood stream for a sufficient length of time to act effectively.”
courtesy of Sasan– thank you for taking the time to copy and email this info to me!

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Vitiligo Cures From Around The World

A couple of months ago I began searching the internet for vitiligo success stories when I came across one that showed me that I
was on the right track with my experiment.
Ilana is from Sweden and has been dealing with vitiligo, alopecia, and psoriasis. Her site describes how she stuck with a regiment
of taking B12, Folic Acid, and tanning her skin, to re-pigment her skin. What I appreciated most about finding this information was
the fact that she showed before and after photo’s which clearly show a 90% success in re-pigmentation.

Page 105
Dr Spritz’s vitiligo genetic study

1 October 2009 4 Comments
Dr Spritz reports:
We have now received a major grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health to carry out the largest vitiligo research study
ever undertaken, the international VitGene consortium genome-wide association study, aiming to identify susceptibility genes for
generalized vitiligo, the most common pigmentation disorder. This study offers the best hope to discover the true biology
underlying vitiligo, and thus to open up paths to investigate new treatments and cures.
The project will have four phases, which altogether will take about 4 years. Phase 1, taking place now, is the initial genome-wide
screening phase, testing 610,000 genetic markers in 1500 Caucasian patients and 1500 unaffected individuals (”controls”) from
the USA, Canada, and United Kingdom (UK). About 80% of the samples come from our laboratory and about 10% each from Prof.
Gawkrodger’s group at Sheffield University (UK) and Profs. McCormack and Wallace’s group at the University of Florida. Phase 1
will cost almost three million dollars, plus another four hundred thousand dollars to purchase the necessary specialized
laboratory instrumentation, so if you know any philanthropists, please tell them about us.
Phase 2, to take place 1-2 years from now (sample collection going on now), will follow up promising results from Phase 1 in
another ~2750 different Caucasian patients and ~2750 controls from the USA, UK, and continental Europe, as well as in ~400
additional Caucasian vitiligo families (patients and their relatives).
Phase 3 (sample collection going on now) will test genes proved out in Phases 1 and 2 in other, non-Caucasian groups, including
USA and Colombia Hispanic/Latino, African-Americans and Nigerian blacks, middle-eastern Arabs, Indians and Pakistanis, and
various Asian groups. Currently, VitGene includes 38 investigators in 21 countries (USA, Canada, Colombia, UK, Belgium, Holland,
Sweden, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Czech Republic, Hungary, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Nigeria, Pakistan, Japan, S. Korea,
and Taiwan), with additional sites being considered.
Thanks to the many of you who have already sent in study entry questionnaires and saliva samples, and thanks to NIAMS for
funding our work. We very much appreciate your support! However, we still need additional samples from BOTH patients and
unrelated, unaffected ‘controls’ of Caucasian, Hispanic/Latino, African/African-American, Indian subcontinent, and Asian ethnic
origins. Please participate if you haven’t done so already. Click here to Participate.
You must save this to your local computer to fill out, and return via mail or email to richard.spritz@ucdenver.edu
Thanks again, and very best wishes to you all.
Richard A. Spritz, MD
Professor and Director
Human Medical Genetics Program
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, CO 80045 USA

Page 106

Page 107
4 Comments
Sahjan said:
OH MY GOSH. This is so great, I’ve had vitiligo and it really gets me down. I’m so glad I came across this website.
It’s so great that people are taking the time to conduct this study on vitiligo.# 7 October 2009 at 3:39 pm
Mary said:
Everyone,
Please go to Dr. Spritz’s website and fill out the participant’s form. We all need to do this, so they can isolate the gene that causes
Vitiligo!! They also need donations to complete the study.
Maybe together, we can all do something to find a cure.# 8 October 2009 at 4:29 pm
Mark said:
Hey, I’m keen to fill this out, but the ‘click here’ isn’t a hyperlink. can anyone send through the web address to go to please?
I’m keen to donate too, I just wish I was a multimillionaire to REALLY kick a hunt for a cure into gear! I think it’s a god awful
disease and I only have it on about 3% of my body…Everyone should get onto this and fill out this form! we all need to help Dr
Spritz!..and thankyou to whoever set up this forum!! awesome work# 9 October 2009 at 7:59 pm
Tero said:
Hello from Finland! Such a relief to know there is a gene-study going on to find a cure for this annoying skin disorder.
As vitiligo is not considered a ‘dangerous’ disease, it can definately have a huge impact on one’s mental health (especially young
people) and therefore damage one’s quality of life much more than people would expect. I’ve had vitiligo for 5 years now, and
have managed to cope with it rather well, but I see many desperate teenagers posting on finnish web-forums asking for help.
Please, keep up the good work! Too bad I’m not a multi-millionaire either, but should I win the lottery I will definately donate
Cheers,
-Tero# 22 October 2009 at 2:48 pm
Vitiligo Survey
2 October 2009 No Comment
Vitiligo, The Patient’s Point of View
Wherever you live, at Loyola University Chicago we want to hear about your case of vitiligo. This helps us direct our research, and
to find support for our current thoughts on progressive depigmentation. The questionnaire should take between 5 and 10
minutes to complete. Please complete the form in the link below and send to the email address below to have the results
included in our database. We intend to publish the data once ample questionnaires have been returned to us. Thank you for your
contribution.

Page 108
Patient’s Point of View

I. Caroline Le Poole Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pathology
Loyola University Medical Center
email: ilepool@lumc.edu
New vitiligo singles site
10 October 2009 3 Comments
lately I’ve received many emails from people who feel that because they have vitiligo, finding love alludes them. I spent the
weekend setting up a site for singles with vitiligo to meet and grow friendships…and perhaps find love.
It’s free to join and very easy to use.Go on and take a look now http://vitiligosingles.ning.com/
Please note: 1) you must be 18 or over to participate, and 2) no provocative photos will be tolerated.

Page 109
3 Comments
Mosaic said:
It does my heart good to see support for the vitiligo community. I am “living life to the fullest with vitiligo”, and that’s not easy.
Way to go Nathalie! Thanks for relieving some of the pressure of dating for those with vitiligo. -Mosaic# 11 September 2009 at
11:47 pm
Ravi said:
Hi I am from Malaysia, 42years old would like make freinds who understands each other.# 15 September 2009 at 5:23 am
kumarshnaj said:
i looking a woman for dating who share the feeling in dubai.. call me 0557644695# 25 April 2010 at 8:53 am

Page 110
Have you built a wall of protection?

18 October 2009 No Comment
There are times in life when you may find it necessary to build a fortress around your heart (a.k.a. your psyche) to provide a
sanctuary for your feelings. Self preservation is our number one primal instinct, and we will stop at almost nothing in order to
protect ourselves. Whether you apply this to hiding your vitiligo, or to avoiding potential relationships because of your vitiligo,
the results are the same; the wall keeps out the potential hurt, but it also stops the inflow of experiencing many wonderful
moments in life.
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” Socrates
Have you built a wall of protection? Do you feel that it could be limiting your life experiences? If you are ready to make a change,
it really is as simple as making up your mind to do so. But, some of us can’t just switch gears that easily. We need to understand
the process of what brought us to this point before we can let go. And you need to be patient with yourself because melting the
mortar of the wall you’ve constructed takes time; time to analyze why you built the foundation, time to ponder what factors
motivated you to lay each brick, and time to decide if the benefits of taking down the wall outweigh the drawbacks.
What? There are drawbacks to letting down the wall? You bet there are. You could get deeply hurt again. You could feel insecure
without your protective sanctuary. In certain situations, you may even feel as though you’re not the one in control. Ouch! Those
sound awful enough to make me want to keep packing on those bricks to thicken my wall. However, as terrifying as those
potential drawbacks may sound, the perks you will get from knocking down the wall are a certainty.
This is the part you’ve been waiting for, the benefits: freedom, hopefulness, and passion.
Each time you are open about your vitiligo, you will feel a sense of freedom and you’re self-esteem will empower you. It’s
perfectly fine to use cosmetics to blend the white patches in order to give your skin an even tone, but leave the shame behind.
And talk about your skin condition…it’s a great opportunity to educate others and reinforce the fact that it is a part of you, it
doesn’t define you.
Hopeful to feel like you fit in. Hopeful to meet someone with whom you connect. Hopeful to find a job that is fulfilling. The
protective wall does not allow you to take the leap of faith necessary to enjoy these. It doesn’t allow you to be hopeful because
you are filled with pessimism. Once you drop the wall though, opportunities will present themselves; allowing hopefulness and
satisfaction to fill your life.
Passion is my favorite benefit. Whether it is passion in my career, or in my private life, the exhilaration cannot be matched. It fills
me with joy, energy, pride, and comfort. Who wouldn’t want that? Well, each day that your wall is standing tall, you are setting
limits on experiencing passion. Drop the wall and luxuriate in your passions.
If you are ready to knock down your wall and experience all that life has to offer, start today. Analyze why you built the
foundation, ponder what factors motivated you to lay each brick, and decide if the benefits of taking down the wall outweigh the

Page 111
drawbacks. It wasn’t a fast process for me. As a matter of fact, it took a lot of mulling until one day I heard a song at the end of a
movie, and everything just clicked into place. It can happen for you, too!

Page 112
Vitiligo conference in london, england

1 November 2009 One Comment
The meeting “Medicine & Me: Vitiligo”, organised jointly with the Vitiligo Society, will bring together patients, their families,
caregivers, advocates, patient support groups, clinicians and researchers to discuss Vitiligo. This meeting will focus on initial
experiences at diagnosis, psychological aspects of the disease with especial reference to issues of ethnicity, and issues around
patient pathways within the NHS.
Medicine and Me: Vitiligo
Saturday 21 November 2009

Venue: The Royal Society of Medicine, 1 Wimpole Street, London, W1G 0AE Map
Organised by the Royal Society of Medicine and The Vitiligo Society
The Royal Society of Medicine ‘Medicine and me’ conferences are specifically designed for patients. These meetings bring
together patients, their families, carers, advocates, patient support groups, clinicians and researchers to discuss care and research
issues in a particular condition.
The audience at ‘Medicine and me’ meetings typically comprises patients, their families, carers and advocates, representing at
least 70% of those present; and clinicians and researchers, representing not more than 30%. Clinicians will include doctors,
specialist nurses and all other health professionals involved in the treatment and care of patients with Vitiligo.
This meeting has been organised jointly with the Vitiligo Society and will focus on initial experiences at diagnosis, psychological
aspects of the disease with especial reference to issues of ethnicity, and issues around patient pathways within the NHS.
Registration Details
12.30 pm
Registration and coffee
1.10 pm Welcome address
Dr David Misselbrook, Dean
1.15 pm Introduction
Lord Bates of Langbaurgh
Session one: Primary and secondary care
Chair: Dr David Misselbrook, Dean, RSM
1.30 pm Patients’ viewpoints: the initial diagnosis
1.45 pm Medical viewpoint
Dr Stephen Kownacki, Chair, Primary Care Dermatology Service
2.00 pm Questions

Page 113
2.05 pm Patients’ viewpoints: having got to see a dermatologist, what can I expect?
Professor David Gawkrodger, Consultant Dermatologist and lead author of BAD Guidelines on Vitiligo
2.35 pm Questions
2.40 pm Patients’ viewpoints: research- when can we expect a cure?
2.55 pm Nursing viewpoint
Professor Steven Ersser, Chair, Nursing Development and Skin Care Research, Bournemouth University
3.10 pm Questions
3.15 pm Tea break
Session two: Psychological implications and future research
Chair: Mr Andrew Langford, Chief Executive, Skin Care Campaign
3.35 pm Patients’ viewpoints
Dr Linda Papadopoulos, Counselling Psychologist
4.05 pm Questions
4.10 pm Patients’ viewpoints
Dr Andrew Thompson, Senior Clinical Lecturer and Clinical Training Research Director, University of Sheffield
4.40 pm Questions
Session three: Ask the experts
4.50 pm Panel discussion
All speakers and Professor Dorothy Bennett, Ms Sally Crowe and Mrs Maxine Whitton
5.35 pm Closing remarks
Dr David Misselbrook, Dean, RSM and Ms Hillary Fassnidge, Chair, The Vitiligo Society
5.40 pm End of meeting

Page 114
One Comment
Fahri said:
Can I get information about the results of the conference… Thanks# 3 December 2009 at 3:32 am

Page 115
My first ebook is published

9 November 2009 No Comment
Last year, I wrote an ebook with my friend Joanne, which details how to get over a broken heart. I know this has little to do with
vitiligo, but perhaps some of the ideas can be used to deal with other issues you may confront.
The ebook can be viewed in pdf form here

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Happy in her second skin

From her twenties onwards, Maxine Whitton became so used to being stared at wherever she went that she developed various
strategies to deal with strangers. To small children who pointed, horrified, at the white patches on her chocolate brown skin, she
would smile encouragingly and suggest that they touch her to reassure themselves.
When an American man crossed a room shouting: “Hey, lady, what is this?” as he grabbed her arm in front of 50 others, she
lapsed into scientific language, explaining that in the skin condition vitiligo, epidermal melanocytes (pigment-producing skin cells)
stop functioning, causing white shapes to appear.
“People are frightened by vitiligo,” says Whitton, 64, a retired academic librarian and French teacher from east London and
former chairman of the Vitiligo Society. “They are not being nasty, but they feel they have the right to intrude. If they don’t have
the courage to ask you what is wrong, they just stare. They look at you as if you are a leper. Sometimes, you sense them recoil
when they accidentally touch you.”
Not surprisingly, Whitton, who lost about 60 per cent of her body colour to vitiligo and “looked like a panda”, began to cover up.
“I had nothing in my wardrobe with short sleeves – even my summer clothes. We stopped going on beach holidays, even though I
love the sea. I never went anywhere without my make-up, which took about 20 minutes to apply. If somebody came to the front
door before I had put it on, I wouldn’t open it.”
For many years, people with vitiligo were told that no help was available other than camouflage make-up, and although many
sufferers and some GPs still believe this, it is no longer the case. Repigmentation is possible, as Whitton has proved.
Although most noticeable in people with dark skin, vitiligo affects one person in 100, across all racial, ethnic and national groups.
The world’s best-known sufferer is said to be Michael Jackson, who claims he lost so much of his skin colour that he had the rest
depigmented to match. About 40 per cent of those affected have a relative with the condition, but factors other than genetics,
such as stress, hormonal fluctuations, injury and chemicals, also play a part.
The average age of onset is around 20, though it can start at any time and often appears in childhood. Thought by most experts to
be an auto-immune disorder, vitiligo does not affect general health, though sufferers must protect themselves from the sun, as
the depigmented patches have no protection against solar rays and burn easily. The main effects are, however, psychological.
Progress of the condition is unpredictable. Some people develop one white patch that never spreads. More commonly, other
patches develop and increase in size. The usual sites are the hands, the armpits and groin and around the eyes, mouth and
genitals. Sometimes, patches will repigment and disappear for no apparent reason. Understandably, patients can become
preoccupied with the condition, obsessively looking for new marks or measuring existing ones to see if they have grown.
The unwelcome curiosity Whitton experienced adds to patients’ misery. Among people from parts of Asia, vitiligo is associated
(quite wrongly) with leprosy, and the resultant prejudice can affect every aspect of a sufferer’s life, including job and marriage

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prospects. Some avoid having children for fear of passing the condition on. The psychological effects of vitiligo are not related to
the severity of the condition.
“Somebody with a small patch can find it much more difficult to live with than another person whose body is completely
covered,” says Carl Walker, a research fellow in psychology at London Metropolitan University, who has just completed a study
on the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) on vitiligo patients.
“For some people, the condition presents no problems at all. In other cases, the patient’s body image is so poor that it causes
sexual and relationship problems and prevents them from communicating openly with their partners.”
Walker found that CBT, in which patients were given various strategies to counter bad feelings they had about themselves,
significantly improved their general mental health, body image, self-esteem and quality of life. Counselling alone did not have the
same effect.
Whitton, who underwent nine months of therapy, believes it should be an integral part of any treatment protocol for people with
skin disease. “I was told to look in the mirror without wearing make-up and tell myself that although I had vitiligo, it was only a
part of me and that I wasn’t hideous. It gave me a sense of perspective and taught me to accept my appearance.
“The first time I went out without make-up, I was shaking like a leaf. I got to my destination and burst into tears. I couldn’t stop
sobbing. Then I had this feeling of euphoria. I had left the house for the first time in 25 years without my make-up and nobody
had said anything. The sky had not fallen in.”
Although managing the condition is important, what most sufferers want is repigmentation. A decade ago, there was little
treatment on offer and patients were told to get on with their lives.
“Since then, there has been a lot of research and some people have repigmented,” says Nerys Roberts, consultant paediatric
dermatologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital. “There is certainly hope now, but most patients don’t bother going to their GP
because they have a family history of the condition and their relatives were told that nothing could be done. Those that do get to
their GP may be told the same, even though it is no longer true.”
Delay can reduce the chances of successful treatment. One of the most significant findings has been that vitiligo needs to be
treated when the disease is active and, ideally, in its early stages. Children respond better than adults.
“It is an inflammatory disease and going in with anti-inflammatories when nothing is happening is like entering a battlefield after
all the soldiers have been killed,” says Dr Roberts. “Treatment needs to take place during the battle itself.”
The first treatment usually involves strong corticosteroid creams. Light therapy has been used for many years: narrow-band UVB
radiation is replacing the traditional UVA lamps. Success rates for UVB are high, with 75 per cent of patients repigmenting and
holding on to the restored colour.
Some patients have repigmented by using regular low doses of UVB light, together with a cream known as PC-KUS that is applied
all over the body. Great claims have been made for this treatment, developed in Germany by Prof Karin Schallreuter of Bradford

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University but not available on the NHS. A controlled trial was a failure, but advocates of this approach claim that the formula of
the cream used in the trial was incorrect.
Maxine Whitton is among Dr Schallreuter’s successes. Using the cream and light therapy three times a week for four years, she
has regained about 90 per cent of her skin colour. But although amazed and delighted by this success, Whitton says that her
attitude to her vitiligo has changed, mainly as a result of psychotherapy. “If I lost my colour again, I cannot say I would not care,
but whatever happens, I am happy in my skin now. I know who I am and vitiligo doesn’t change that.”
‘We need fake tans on NHS’
Brigit Cunningham, a public relations executive from West Sussex, has found a new way to disguise her vitiligo – self-tan. Ninety
per cent of her skin is covered in vitiligo patches, which have turned her once-bronzed complexion an anaemic white. She feels
particularly self-conscious about her appearance in the summer when her depigmented skin burns easily and will not tan.
Two years ago, Cunningham, 43, discovered St Tropez self-tan, and she now has a full body application – it takes an hour and
costs £40 – each month of the summer at a local beauty salon.
“It has revolutionised my feelings about myself and gives me a sense of psychological wellbeing,” she says. “I would use it all the
time if I could afford it.”
Cunningham, whose 13-year-old daughter Freya also has vitiligo, believes self-tans should be available to sufferers on the
National Health Service, as camouflage make-up and sunscreen are at present.
“The psycho-social effects of vitiligo can be awful,” she says. “When Freya was small, we used to tell her that her patches were
kisses from the sun and she felt special, but she has been teased in the past and she has become more self-conscious as she gets
older.
“She is quite badly affected on her stomach, so if she wants to wear cropped tops this summer, I expect we will have to let her
have a St Tropez treatment, too. She already uses a high factor sun cream, which we get on prescription, and it seems very unfair
that we should have to pay to cover up the effects of a medical condition.”
By Barbara Lantin
Published: 12:01AM BST 26 May 2004
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/3307538/Now-Im-happy-in-my-second-skin.html

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Animals can also develop vitiligo, too

Vitiligo has been reported among some species of domestic and wild animals. Some of these occurrences have been documented
by veterinary journals and publications.This mature Andalusian has undergone progressive pigment loss in the hair due to the
gray gene and has the additional, more uncommon condition known as vitiligo: progressive pigment loss in the skin. Superficially
similar mottling is characteristic of the “champagne” gene and leopard complex. Vitiligo in horses is sometimes called “pinky” or
“Arabian fading syndrome.”
FELINE VITILIGO (LEUKODERMA, PIEBALDISM)
A rare condition in cats produces a “cobweb” or “snowflake” effect that is most easily seen on black cats. White spots appear on
the coat; these become more extensive with age until the cat has a white lace pattern on the colored fur. Ultimately the cat may
go completely white or be left with diminishing isolated patches of color. This condition has been seen in black leopards (”cobweb
panthers”) and similar conditions are found in humans, dogs and other animals. It should not be confused with the normal age-
related “salt and pepper” sprinkling of white hairs or white hairs associated with scars. I have seen only 4 cases of “cobweb” or
“snowflake” cats: 2 relating to black leopards and 2 relating to domestic black cats.
Charva with feline vitiligo (Jason Reeves).
“Leukoderma” (”white skin”) is a generic term for piebaldism that occurs during an animal’s lifetime (”aquired depigmentation”).
It is usually progressive and is sometimes triggered by illness or environmental factors. A cat with leukoderma may end up almost
entirely white. A type of leukoderma has been identified in some Persian cats and these are used as laboratory subjects in the
study of depigmentation conditions.
One form of leukoderma, vitiligo, is occasionally seen in cats. It usually causes loss of pigment on the face and feet. Antibodies are
formed against the pigment-producing melanocytes. The melanocytes are destroyed leading to the white areas. Another rare
condition, periocular leukotrichia, causes the fur around the cat’s eyes to become pale – as though the cat is wearing spectacles.
“Leukotrichia” means white hair.
Dogs
In dogs, vitiligo is sometimes considered a cosmetic defect . It may also cause constant itching in very rare cases.
Buffalo
The September 1990 issue of Buffalo Bulletin, reports that a female buffalo in Pakistan has developed white patches on the
ventral skin of the belly. The pregnant cow, rapidly became hypersensitive to flies and sunlight. The condition hasn’t been passed
to her offspring. The same article reports that by 1965 there were only two recorded occurrences of vitiligo among buffaloes.
(Luekoderma in Buffalo, Hussain N.)

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Prostaglandin E2 based vitiligo treatment

20 November 2009 5 Comments
Prostaglandin E2 is of the prostaglandins, a group of hormone-like substances that participate in a wide range of body functions
such as the contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle, the dilation and constriction of blood vessels, control of blood pressure,
and modulation of inflammation.
Prostaglandin E2 (PGE-2) is released by blood vessel walls in response to infection or inflammation that acts on the brain to
induce fever. The enzyme mPGES-1 is involved in the production of PGE2 and is an important “switch” for activating the fever
response.Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) has stimulant and immunomodulatory effects on melanocytes and regulates their proliferation.
In order to study the efficacy and safety of topical PGE2 in treating stable vitiligo patches involving less then 5% body surface
here is what researchers from the Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, Dept. of Dermatology in Mumbai, India
experimented:
“Fifty-six consecutive patients with clinically diagnosed stable vitiligo of types vulgaris, focal, segmental, lip and genital applied a
translucent PGE2 (0.25 mg g(-1)) gel twice daily for 6 months. Evaluation was fortnightly for 3 months and monthly thereafter up
to 6 months.
Assessment was based on degree of repigmentation in treated patches ranging from 0% (no change) to 100% (complete
repigmentation). Overall response was graded as: poor, 1-25% repigmentation; moderate, 26-50%; good, 51-75%; excellent,
>75%. Vitiligo vulgaris was the most common type (n=22; 39%), followed by focal and lip vitiligo, with lesions being mostly on the
face (25%) and lips.
Repigmentation was seen in 40 of 56 patients (71%), with mean onset at 2 months. Patients with disease duration of 6 months or
less repigmented best, with face and scalp responding earliest (1-1.5 months).
Complete clearance occurred in eight of 40 patients, six of the eight having face lesions. Excellent response was seen in 22 of 40
patients. All neck, scalp and trunk lesions, 33% genital, 29% lip vitiligo, 100% segmental and 63% focal patches showed moderate
to excellent response. Incidence of side-effects was 18%, mainly a transient burning sensation especially on the lips,”
They concluded that:
“The efficacy and safety of topical PGE2 make it a promising therapy for localized stable vitiligo.”
Source: British Journal of Dermatology (Evaluation of safety and efficacy of topical prostaglandin E2 in treatment of vitiligo.
British Journal of Dermatology, 2009;160(4):861-3).
and http://www.medterms.com

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5 Comments
steven said:
IS THIS ANOTHER CHIC PEA SCAM FROM INDIA?# 21 November 2009 at 9:26 pm
Joe said:
When will this be Avaliable# 22 November 2009 at 3:22 pm
Mary said:
Wow, this sounds very promising!! Enzymes have really been in the news lately relating to Cancer cures..they’re learning more
and more about enzymes and how they work towards the cure for many diseases. Does anyone have anymore info as to when
this will be available to the public? This website gives us a portal into the world of Vitiligo.
I’m really comforted by the fact that there are so many people in the world trying to find a cure for this disease. We all suffer in
our own way day to day, but we all have to look at the big picture—they will eventually find a cure and be able to stop it from
effecting future generations.# 23 November 2009 at 7:53 am
Dario said:
Hello everyone,
this is for sure one of the best blog about vitiligo, it makes me feel better every time i read it
Regarding this news i did a bit of research and this PGE2 (Prostaglandin E2) is a cream used for vaginal treatments sold by the
name of Prostin E2 or Cervidil.
Now i dont know if it is the exactly same as the one they used in the experiment but im really willing to try it.
I think for Australia it needs the medical prescription, i will talk to my doctor about that and see what he sais.# 25 November 2009
at 4:52 pm
Joe said:
check this out ! http://www.vitiligozone.com/News/irans-stem-cell-research-may-lead-to-a-vitiligo-treatment.html# 9 December
2009 at 4:07 pm
What do you do to feel better about vitiligo?

6 December 2009 2 Comments
It is only natural that we feel self-conscious about having vitiligo; after all, any deviation from the social norms in physical
appearance attracts attention…and most times, it is unwanted.
How many times have you taken a second glance at someone with tattoo’s covering their body? Or what about that person who
has purple streaks in her/his hair? Granted, these are choices that the person made to express their individuality, but what about
those who don’t; for instance, someone who is physically or mentally challenged?

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I’ve given an extended glance to someone with a missing leg. I’ve even inadvertently stared at a ‘little person‘ as he walked past
me in the mall. Why did they catch my attention? Was it because I thought less of them? No. Did I pity them? No. I looked
because I was curious. With genuine concern, I wondered what the woman who had no left leg had gone through. How must she
have felt when she first looked down and saw only one foot. I thought of the long hours she endured physical therapy to be able
to walk with her new prosthetic leg. These thoughts may take only a few seconds to go through your mind, but if someone is
looking at you for 15 seconds, it certainly can make you feel self-conscious. (Go ahead, sit still for just 10 seconds and see how
time seems to drag.)
When I notice someone looking at my hands, I feel that they are staring at the vitiligo areas; judging me and/or thinking less of
me. That’s my ego taking control of my thoughts and feelings. Giving power to your ego is detrimental to your self-esteem and
self-worth. In as much, you’re making an agreement with yourself that your value as a person is based solely upon your
appearance and acceptance by others. No one really wants to live like that, so the trick is to take back your power…you will gain
strength, and possibly, a whole new outlook on living with your vitiligo.
When I asked the question, “What do you do to feel better about having vitiligo?”, on the Vitiligo Singles site, the number one
answer was that they talk about their vitiligo freely with anyone and everyone. I wasn’t surprised by this; it’s the one thing that
has made all the difference in my life, too. It works because you’re not treating vitiligo like a dirty little secret, or something of
which you should be ashamed. You approach the subject with authority because you have knowledge to share. Authority gives an
air of confidence, and confidence is irresistible. What do you do to feel better about having vitiligo?
2 Comments
Mary said:
Hi Natalie,
I tried to order the Vitiligo Cover lotion as well and was not able to get past the first window…maybe it’s my computer, not sure.
Anyway, would love to order as soon as possible.
Thanks very much,
Mary# 7 December 2009 at 8:19 am
Thanks for letting me know, Mary. And, thank you for your order…it will go out wednesday. # 7 December 2009 at 5:17 pm

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Darcel: vitiligo set no limits for her success

17 December 2009 One Comment
I first heard about Darcel de Vlugt on Twitter. Someone tweeted that they were auditioning for a tv show about her. I want to
share her story with you because I think you may find inspiration through this beautiful young woman who has not let her
struggle with vitiligo define her, or limit her successes.
Her skin is so pale that she wears Factor 100 sun cream on even a dull summer day. Yet, incredibly, 23-year-old Darcel de Vlugt
was born black. In a case of extreme rarity, the skin condition vitiligo has taken the pigment from her entire body. Experts say
they have never come across such a striking change and she says: ‘I have a hard job convincing people that I was actually born
with dark skin.’
Darcel’s parents Peter and Charmaine, both from Trinidad, noticed white spots on her forearm and forehead when she was five.
Doctors diagnosed vitiligo.
‘My father worked for the United Nations and we traveled the world a lot with his job,’ said Darcel, now a fashion designer in
London. My family believe the stress of moving at such a young age brought on the condition. None of my direct family have ever
suffered with the condition, although several relatives by marriage have had it in a less serious form than me.’
‘When I was first diagnosed at the age of five, we didn’t take it too seriously. The doctor gave me medication to try and stop it
spreading, and we thought that it wouldn’t get any worse.’
But by the age of seven, white patches had started to appear on Miss De Vlugt’s legs, and then by the time she was nine, it had
spread up her arms too. A year later it had started to spread up her neck and up to her nose. She said: ‘We tried all the treatment
we could to try and stop it spreading, but nothing seemed to work. The doctors told me to sunbathe for ten minutes each day
which I did for a year, then I took medication for five years.
‘At the age of 12 I tried UV laser treatment, but it didn’t work and by then, 80 per cent of my body was white so I decided to leave
it. There was nothing I could do.’
Because it has no melanin, Darcel’s skin is vulnerable to sunburn, and she has to constantly wear suncream with a sun protection
factor of 100. She said: ‘I was very badly burnt at the age of nine, to the extent where my skin looked like it had been burnt in a
fire. ‘I was covered in fluid filled blisters and it took weeks to heal. It was so painful.’
Miss De Vlugt was given the option of bleaching the remainder of her skin as her body started to change colour, but she decided
against it. She said: ‘I believe that Michael Jackson had vitiligo and had patches of it on his body, then he bleached the rest so it
had an even look. But I didn’t want to bleach it as it would mean it was irreversible, and I had hoped that all the treatments I had
been having would work instead. But now my body is completely white all over, with not a patch of brown left, so I wouldn’t
have needed to bleach any remaining skin anyway.’
Darcel de Vlugt is now a 24-year-old London College of Fashion graduate whose debut collection was shown at the first annual
Islands of the World Fashion Week in November 2008, Nassau, the Bahamas. In August 2009, she won the NextGen Designer

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Award for her edgy but elegant cocktail and evening dresses. Her dream is to be known as an Internationally-based Caribbean
Designer, bringing together a fusion of Europe and the Caribbean, through use of techniques, styling methods, detailing and
construction.

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Vitiligo conference update

21 December 2009 No Comment
The Royal Society of Medicine, in association with the Vitiligo Society, held a one-day conference at its headquarters in London to
bring doctors and patients together.
Vitiligo Society Meeting
Before the conference the Vitiligo Society had its members meeting and it was mentioned that the society has improved its
website and online presence through the following social networking sites:
Vitiligo Society Facebook Page
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19962002811
MySpace Page
http://www.myspace.com/vitiligosociety
(this was not mentioned but, if you’re interested, you can also become an overseas member at www.vitiligosociety.org.uk)
Success Stories from Patients
Narrowband UVB
The clear winner in helping patients seems to be narrowband UVB treatment, which is a form of light therapy.
A patient named Paul showed how he has largely repigmented with the treatment. Another patient by the name of Darryl also
told of how he had great success with narrowband UVB treatment, after he had had only marginal success with PUVA. It was also
noted that narrowband UVB treatment is much safer than PUVA. In the UK, the national healthcare system, the NHS, pays for the
treatment, though there is a limit of 300 sessions. The patients said, unfortunately, the effects tend to fade away in some cases,
but one can be re-treated.
Another thing to note is that treatment requires several trips to the clinic. A dermatologist later on emphasised that narrowband
UVB should be done for at least 6 months, no less. Both doctors and patients alike testified people don’t give the treatment long
enough to work.
The vitiligo society has a page on light treatments, with a section on narrowband UVB, at
http://www.vitiligosociety.org.uk/treatments/photo.html
Tacrolimus
Through a pre-recorded video message, a patient by the name of Rob said he had repigmented his face with TACROLIMUS.
Pseudocatalase
A patient by the name of Rob showed images of his stunning success with the pseudocatalase. Only one group of doctors is
offering this treatment. Travel to Bradford, UK and Germany is required and NHS does not pay for it. The treatment essentially
reduces the level of hydrogen peroxide in the skin, Rob said. It is 95% effective in people whom are deemed good candidates after
testing, but it is expensive. Rob said he has spent about £2,000 to £3,000 ($3,300 to $5,000) in the last few years, and the effects

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have started to fade away but he has been able to re-treat. The costs include notably traveling, a special supply of cream and a
large UVB light machine, which looks like a vertical suntan bed.
The society has a page on the treatment at http://www.vitiligosociety.org.uk/treatments/Pseudocatalase.html
It should also be noted that a dermatologist later said that a new study suggests that what works in the pseudocatalase
treatment is actually the use of the UVB light.
The Ideal Doctor Visit
Dr Stephen Kownacki (general practitioner) gave a very honest insight into why some doctors do not provide very good care when
it comes to vitiligo: they often don’t know much about it. General practitioners, the ones you see before you see specialists, have
to know about everything because people come to them with everything. They don’t have the luxury of specialising in just one
field.
When some doctors are faced with a condition they don’t know much about, Kowancki explains, they become uncomfortable.
Rather than researching the condition and getting back to patient with useful information and treatment strategies, they may do
one of a few things:
Blame the patient — Try to convince the patient that he or she is over-exaggerating the importance of a little white spot.
Pretend not to hear — Since patients often come in with more than one problem, the doctor may decide to address just the one
he knows about.
Pass the buck — Decides, in his mind, he doesn’t want to be involved and refers you to another doctor, without really talking to
you about the condition.
NONE OF THESE APPROACHES ARE RIGHT, Kowancki insists. In his opinion, this is what should happen when you visit your doctor:
The receptionist should welcome you. Kowancki points this out because you should not have to wait to see the doctor more than
what is expected. (Kowancki also points out that when making the appointment, you should ask if one of the doctors in the clinic
specialises in dermatology. If you are going to a clinic with several doctors, invariably each one will have a forte. Ask which one at
least has a keen interest in dermatology and see that one.)
Have a courteous greeting from the doctor that should include a handshake. You may be feeling isolated and a handshake and a
warm smile can go a long way. Especially since skin condition are not contagious, patients should expect a warm greeting.
The doctor should listen. This, Kowancki said, is the most important part. The doctor needs to listen to what the patient wants.
Doctors, even specialists, think they know what patients want but they don’t. The example he gives is one of an elder patient
with psoriasis who didn’t want serious treatment, just some ointment for her chest since she likes low-cut blouses and some
cream for her knees so she she could bend down and get the paper.
When you leave the practice, you should feel good. You should feel like you are empowered to do something. The doctor should
feel excited he knows what the condition is. “Yes! It’s vitiligo,” Kawancki said on the podium. The doctor should express there are
things we can do. Sure, none of them are guaranteed to work, but we’re going to do our best!

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Last, you should receive a full examination. The doctor should inspect all the spots you have, if it’s the first time you are seeing
him.
Kowancki educates doctors on an ongoing basis as to how they should act.
Last, he points out the importance of education, both on the part of the doctor and the patient. He refers everyone to an open-
access, diagnosis website for skin conditions. It is the page of the Primary Care Dermatology Society, which has tips on identifying
conditions. The web site address is http://www.pcds.org.uk/
Proof Michael Jackson had vitiligo
Professor David Gawkrodger, consultant dermatologist and lead author of BAD Guidelines on Vitiligo, said he had a bone to pick.
He said Michael Jackson definitely had vitiligo. He showed a photo of the Jackson 5 like this one (couldn’t find exactly the same
one) that showed on his elbow a white spot in the shape of a boomerang, which is called the Koebner Phenomenon. He said this
proves Michael Jackson had vitiligo.
Research
Maxine Whitton, who was the chairperson of the Vitiligo Society for four years, spoke as a patient and an advocate for research.
Maxine – the patient
In terms of being a patient, she said she had success with tacrolimus but when her vitiligo started up again, she needed therapy to
curb her depression. Her therapist helped her greatly through a very difficult period in her life through the use of Cognitive
Behavioural Therapy.
Maxine Whitton – the advocate
In terms of research, she has led a scientific review of treatments. Though she is not a medical professional, the Cochrane Skin
Group and the Skin Care Campaign connected her with researchers, and she published A systematic review of natural health
product treatment for vitiligo in 2006. I have mentioned this paper before, so hopefully this will get you to look at it closer. Her
team studied published papers on vitiligo treatments from all over the world. Some of the 57 papers even had to be translated —
one from Farsi. Though she believes there is still no really good medical study in the field of vitiligo, she says there has been a
boom of reports in the last 5-10 years.
Other panelists reported that genetic research will now make it easier for pharmaceutical companies to develop drugs specially
targeted to preventing the death of the pigment cell.
An update of the systematic review is due out next year.
Diet
Maxine said none of the studies she reviewed dealt with nutrition. When asked about the importance of diet, other panelists said
all that has been discussed in the scientific community is the efficacy (effectiveness) of antioxidants. I’m not surprised by this but
it should not mean a significant change in your diet, because you should already be incorporating as much antioxidants in your

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diet as possible, as they have also been shown to help with preventing and treating cancer. Antioxidants are found, for example,
in Vitamin C, so orange juice.

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Find inspiration anywhere

I enjoy reading inspirational blogs and sometimes a story really touches me, either because I gain a new perspective or because it
reminds me to refocus on beliefs I already hold.
This morning I received an update from a great blog called Evolving Times. The sentiment is great for everyday use, but it is
especially useful during this holiday season.
My Solstice Lesson
One thing I’ve learned is that you never know where the lesson will come from. My daughter and I went to a gathering last night
for a Solstice ritual and to celebrate the birthday of a friend. It was a lovely little gathering with a beautiful, simple ritual followed
by a delicious potluck.
The ritual was short and sweet with no immediately apparent insights or awakenings. But whether or not there was an
immediate shift in awareness, I’ve discovered that the seeds are planted when you participate in ritual and you never know when
they will blossom!
But the evening was not without a more immediate lesson. And it was all about the birthday cake. Yes, the birthday cake.
This morning I woke up thinking about last night’s cake. Now it’s not as if I usually wake up in the mornings thinking about cake.
And, really, I wasn’t thinking about the cake, per se. No, seriously! I was thinking about my interaction with my daughter, Ella,
regarding the cake.
First let me describe the cake. It was dark chocolate cake, moist and full of rich chocolatey flavor with a layer of raspberry
preserves and frosted with a chocolate ganache. Definitely yummy!
But when I saw the size of the pieces my friend Tim was cutting – can you say Rambo Sized? – I asked for him to cut a special
smaller piece and then cut that piece into a small piece for Ella and a not-quite-so-small piece for me.
There were several reasons I wanted Ella to have a small slice: It was late, almost 8:30 by the time we had cake – can you say
“Sugar High?” and she’s also a little sensitive to wheat and dairy. And this cake was loaded with both.
So Tim handed down our small little slivers of cake and we were happy. Well, Ella was happy. When I received my little sliver, I
was a bit disappointed. Apparently I had not clearly communicated my request to Tim. I wanted Ella to have a tiny slice and I
wanted to have a medium sized slice. But we both got tiny slices.
I could feel myself doing one of those cartoon double takes… looking at my little slice, looking at Neil’s big slice, looking at my
little slice, looking at Chris’s big slice, looking at… well you get the idea.
I was so focused on the quantity of cake I had – or didn’t have – that I hardly even noticed how good it was. And when I wasn’t
lamenting the size of my slice I was engaged in conversation, further distracting me from the full pleasure that the cake could
have provided.

Page 130
After I finished my piece, which didn’t take long since it was so tiny, I continued talking while still hearing a little voice inside of
me saying that I had not gotten enough cake. (Notice that the voice was not telling me that I had not EATEN enough cake but that
I had not RECEIEVED enough cake. Big difference!)
I found myself watching Tim as he continued cutting the cake, wondering if there was going to be any left for me to have a second
small slice. It was going to be a close call. But before he reached the end, Jaci sat down across from me and, seeing the size of the
slice on her plate asked for a much smaller one. So I jumped in and said that she could just give me what she didn’t want of hers.
Perfect! In fact, more than perfect: She gave me more than I wanted!
Meanwhile, as all of this internal drama was playing out, Ella was totally immersed in a full body experience of enjoying the cake.
She was carefully deconstructing it as she ate: first scraping off the frosting and savoring that, then cutting off small pieces of the
cake, lighting up with surprise and joy when she got a taste of the raspberry filling which she couldn’t see because it blended in
with the color of the cake.
She was just finishing her slice when I received the “bonus” slice from Jaci. And of course, she wanted a bit more also. I let her
have one more bite but turned down her request for a second “last last last last bite” at which point she shifted her attention to
licking the plate clean – literally!
So here I was chowing down on a second piece of cake, focused more on the quantity than the quality, missing out on the fullness
of the experience while Ella was totally immersed in the experience. For her, nothing else existed outside of her relationship to
that tiny slice of cake. She was a study in the Power of Now.
And what a beautiful lesson!
How often do I distract myself from the present moment because I am focused on what I don’t have? How often do I miss out on
the fullness of an experience because I am comparing what I do have to what someone else has? How often does my mind lead
me into the what ifs of the future or the what could have beens of the past leaving no space for the what is of the present?
Far too often.
So, no matter what else blossoms from last night’s ritual, if I can take this reminder of presence and full participation with me as
we move back into the light, I will be very happy!
Epilogue:
About halfway through my “bonus” piece of cake – around the time that I noticed Ella licking her plate! – I broke out of the trance
I was in and realized I did not need to eat it all. So I took one more bite, with a much higher level of presence, and then put down
my fork.
Soon after that, Jane sat down next to me interested in a small piece of cake. I offered her the rest of the cake I had been eating
which she said was exactly how much she wanted!

Page 131
How are you going to conquer vitiligo in 2010?

2010 may be the year that scientists find a cure for vitiligo, or they might not. You don’t have control over their work, but you do
have full control over how you live with vitiligo. Will you let it beat you down for another year? Are you going to miss out on
social functions because you’re embarrassed to show your skin?
I’m not a big believer in making new years resolutions, but Now is a good time to find a different way of defining what role vitiligo
will play in your life. In your heart you know that there is more to you than the white patches on your skin. The people in your
life, who love and care about you, probably tell you this often. But no matter what they say, or what you know you have to offer,
your head and ego tell you otherwise.
While the scientists do their work, let’s work on what we can…the emotional aspect of vitiligo. We may not be able to
dramatically change how we look, but we do have the power to change our self-perception.
I will continue to update the site with pertinent news about vitiligo treatments, but I am going to focus mainly on writing posts
that will offer methods and tools you can use to help change your outlook on life.

Page 132
Our Sponsor
About the Author

NATHALIE PELLETIER is the creator of Vitiligo Corner. She’s written 10 other
ebooks, started a few Internet companies, and writes a blog.
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Born on date
This document was created on December 31, 2010 and is based on the best
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ARTICLES AND COMMENTS FROM 2008

WRITTEN AND COMPILED BY NATHALIE PELLETIER

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Urad, turmeric, vitiligo experiment ...................................................................................................................................................................... 42

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Prostaglandin E2 based vitiligo treatment .......................................................................................................................................................... 121

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What Causes Vitiligo?

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Life with Vitiligo

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Vitiligo Corner Posts

XTRAC treatments with a new twist

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How’s the first week of XTRAC?

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Does vitiligo rob you of life?

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Shake away the funk

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Are you using affirmations?

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Could someone crush black pepper?

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Doctors, scientists, please, find a cure.

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Tanning bed as an alternative

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Jason’s vitiligo experiment update

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How you might be able to get free vitiligo treatments

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The most important thing to know is this:

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Stress, vitiligo, relief through EFT

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Have you tried EFT to help your vitiligo?

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Could Chickpeas (urad) cure vitiligo?

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Is the medical community searching for a vitiligo cure?

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repigmentation in human vitiligo.

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May;72(5):546-7. Epub 2009 Feb 6. (DOI Direct Link)

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The promise held in vitiligo patents

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