How Different Is The Ayurvedic Treatment For Leucoderma From Allopathy?

Leucoderma is a serious skin problem that affects around 2% of people from all over the world. If you happen to be an Indian, there are two major treatment options that can be availed in any part of the country: Allopathy and Ayurveda. Allopathy is the modern medical science that offers palliative measures for this disease but there is no permanent cure, unfortunately. Ayurveda, on the contrary, is a widespread medicinal practice that has approx. two thousand years old therapies and medicines for leucoderma. In this write-up, we will be looking at the difference between the Ayurvedic and Allopathic approaches to Leucoderma step by step. 

Allopathy and Leucoderma

The term ‘Leucoderma’ is derived from a Latin term known as white skin which is literally the effect of this disease. It is caused by the destruction of the cells responsible for skin color, the melanocytes. There are many theories coined for this problem, one says that it is an auto-immunological problem while others say that it is a neurological issue. You must take a proper leucoderma ayurvedic treatment to find the root cause behind it. There are also views of it being auto-cytotoxic, but none of these theories has been directly linked with this disease. The problem has affected people of all gender and races and most of those were under forty. 

Also, leucoderma usually affects the areas that are exposed to the sun or those that are hyper-pigmented like the axilla, genitalia, nipples, and groin. It is not a contagious disease nor is it related to any kind of pathological harm. The problem mostly causes aesthetic issues and affects the psychology and emotional stability of the patient. If the problem becomes more severe in such conditions you must take proper leucoderma ayurvedic treatment.

As for the management of leucoderma, allopathy involves three types of therapies: topical applications of medicines like PUVA (Potent Corticosteroids) and photochemotherapy, as well as surgical therapies. Out of these, PUVA is considered one of the most effective treatments for this condition. But it is quite time-consuming and bears serious side effects. 

Ayurveda and Leucoderma

The term Ayurveda is derived from a Sanskrit term that means ‘science of life and it has defined the way of life for thousands of years.  The archaeological findings from the ‘Bower manuscripts’ state that Ayurveda has been practiced for more than two millennia. The roots of this medicinal science lie in the Sanskrit textbook called Charaka Samhita. 

In Ayurveda, leucoderma has been termed as kilasa or svitra under kushta rogs which means obstinate skin diseases. There are some common threads suggested for the treatment of such diseases. Ayurveda believes that leucoderma is caused when some unwholesome habits are incorporated into a person’s life. These include: 

• Regular intake of food of contradictory nature together like milk and pickle, yogurt and spicy pickles, etc. 
• Over-suppression of natural urges. 
• Heavy workout after intake of heavy food under high temperature. 
• Taking food in the wrong order while fasting or eating things that are against the ongoing weather. 
• Intake or usage of cold water right after exposure to exertion, shocking condition, or scorching heat.

Leucoderma Symptoms According To Ayurveda

• Total absence or excess of perspiration. 
• Discolored skin patches. 
• Itching, mental fatigue, physical exhaustion, pricking pain, or horripilation. 
• When the disease affects the blood, the patches turn in red color. 
• If it affects the muscle tissue, the patches turn into a coppery shade. 
• When the dosha reaches the fat tissues, the patches are white in color. 

Ayurvedic Treatment For Leucodermaleucoderma ayurvedic treatment begins by arresting the aggressive pace of the disease in the body. The digestive system, for example, is first cleansed through diet modification and detoxification through Panchakarma therapies. If the patient is suffering from a pitta dosha then a pitta pacifying diet is administered along with some medication. Alongside, the lifestyle of the patient is also modified depending on the reasons that led to the development of leucoderma.

Once the causative factors have been addressed, the excess toxins (ama) is eliminated from the body through natural therapies like Virechana, Sweden, etc. Herbal remedies are also used on the side according to the nature and sub-type of the disease affecting the patient. The purification therapies also help in improving the overall health of the patient and purifying impurities on all levels. The effects of treatment start appearing within a few weeks depending on the progress of the disease in the patient’s body.