Skin diseases cause social stigma: docs

On an average, the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, gets two cases of vitiligo every day. This was revealed by the department of dermatology, venereology and leprology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, that observed “Vitiligo Day”on Monday.

The “Vitiligo Day”was inaugurated by Dr Savita Malhotra, head, department of psychiatry, PGIMER.
The department of der matology, PGIMER, which runs a pigmentary disorder clinic every Friday, provides care to vitiligo patients. According to the data provided by the department, last year, 673 new patients of vitiligo were registered while 2,330 follow up patients visited the clinic last year.

The experts said vitiligo (phulvehri) is a pigmentary disorder of great cosmetic concern and social stigma in India. “In this disorder, patients develop single to multiple asymptomatic white spots over various parts of the body.”

“We have made significant contribution in basic research pertaining to natural course of the disease, types of vitiligo, disease epidemiology, psychosocial impact, its pathogenesis, biology of melanocytes, and several new medical and surgical modalities of treatment,”said Dr Sanjeev Handa, head, department of dermatology, PGIMER.

He added that the de par tment was equipped to provide world-class treatment to vitiligo patients. Besides topical and oral medication, different modalities were being offered at the department include ultraviolet therapy - narrowband (NBUVB) and UVA. This phototherapy treatment which was started for the first time in the department has been a great boon to patients suffering from vitiligo in the entire norther n region. The department also offers various surgical therapeutic options like melanocyte
transplantation, epidermal grafting and punch grafting.

Recently, the department has also procured the latest excimer laser for the treatment of localised disease not responding to conventional methods of treatment.

A poster presentation was displayed on the occasion. Dr Sanjeev Handa, head, department of dermatology explained the posters. Additional professor, Dr Devinder Prasad, and assistant professor, Dr Dipankar Dey from department of dermatology, PGIMER, were also present on the occasion.