Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Vitiligo

Response to ‘The incidence and survival of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer in patients with vitiligo: a nationwide population‐based matched cohort study in Korea’

“…As an alternative, we stratified our patients based on the number of phototherapy sessions (no phototherapy, < 50 sessions, ≥ 50 sessions), and found no association between phototherapy sessions and the risk of skin cancer. This is in line with the findings from Jørgensen et al, 3 which suggest that cumulative UVR exposure is not a significant confounder.…”

“…Indeed, several patch test studies with different sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) concentrations (0Á125%, 0Á25%, 0Á5%, 1Á0%, 2Á0%) and with different exposure times (3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h) have been conducted earlier. Studies such as that by Aramaki et al 3 have found SLS skin reactions to be more dependent on SLS concentration than on exposure time.…”

“…T. Buhl iD 1,2 and J. Geier 2,3 3 Aramaki J, L€ offler C, Kawana S et al DEAR EDITOR, We read with interest the article by Kim et al, which reported that Korean patients with vitiligo had a greater risk of skin cancer than white patients. 1 We agree with the authors that ethnic differences might explain the differences in the susceptibility to skin cancer.…”

“…Furthermore, patients in Asian countries, including Korea, commonly use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), such as traditional herbal medicines containing arsenic, for the treatment of vitiligo. 3 Because precancerous lesions, such as arsenic keratoses, are frequently encountered among the Asian population, the prevalence of CAM usage among the participants should have been investigated. In addition, the cumulative dosage of various photosensitizing medications related with skin cancer should have been considered as a potential confounder.…”

Functional nutrition as integrated approach in vitiligo management

“…Even if, a review of literature revealed no controlled studies assessing the role of diet in management of patients with vitiligo, considering the high level of free radicals and in the imbalance of the immune system in people affected by vitiligo, there are general dietary recommendations based on anti‐inflammatory diet rich in antioxidant, avoiding foods that could lead to allergic reactions or irritation that could trigger or aggravate vitiligo (Yoon, Kim, & Sun, ).…”