Leucoderma or Vitiligo

Leucoderma or vitiligo simply means a white skin. This skin disorder shows up as white patches on the skin due to the loss of the pigment from the layers of the skin. The affected areas are the hands, neck, back and wrists. In some cases, most of the body is covered with these patches. Some possible causes are mental worry, burn injuries, sun burn, chronic gastric disorders, typhoid, and parasites like worms in the alimentary canal, jaundice or a defective perspiration system. Leucoderma can also be inherited.

Leucoderma Remedy

Certain home remedies that have been found useful in treating Leucoderma are given below:-

•    Make a paste of radish seeds and vinegar. Take about 35/40 grams of radish seeds, powder this in two spoons of vinegar and apply on the patches.
•    The vegetable goose foot should be eaten twice a day - morning and evening for about two months. The juice from the leaves should be applied on the patches.
•    Mix turmeric with mustard oil. Soak approximately 500 grams of turmeric in about 8 liters of water overnight. Boil this mixture the next day until only a liter of water remains. Mix this with about 500 ml of mustard oil and heat it till only the oil remains. Apply this paste twice a day for a few months.
•    The red clay found on hilly slopes or by the riverside is useful too. Mix this with ginger juice and apply once a day on the affected areas.
•    Avoid junk food, tea, coffee, alcohol, cold drinks and beer.
•    Use psoralea (babchi) seeds which have been soaked in ginger juice for three days. Change the juice daily. After this period, remove the husks, dry the seeds and then powder them. Mix one gram of the powder with one cup fresh milk and have this every day for about forty days. The ground seeds can be also be applied on the white patches.
•    Tamarind seeds psoralea seeds are useful too. Soak equal quantities of both in water for three day, after which they should be shelled and dried. Apply this after grinding into a paste.
•    A well balanced nutritious diet is beneficial too. Be sure to include fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and grains. Cut down on non - vegetarian food.
•    Avoid canned/processed foods, white flour products, polished rice, white sugar, and condiments.
•    Eat figs and walnuts regularly.
•    Avoid using salt for 4-6months. Use rock salt if needed. Stay away from spicy food.
•    Drink a glass of neem juice or chew on some holy basil leaves. This too is known to improve one’s skin tone, when suffering from leucoderma