China News Service, Guangzhou, August 9 (Reporter Cai Minjie) Vitiligo is a very common autoimmune skin disease.
In summer, the intensity of sunlight is strong, and the exposure of vitiligo patients will cause hyperactivity of melanocytes and accelerate the consumption of melanocytes. There is no protection of melanin in the vitiligo, and it is easy to sunburn.
Wu Liangcai, director of the Department of Dermatology at the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, said recently, "The incidence of vitiligo increases in summer. For such patients, physical sun protection must be done, otherwise it will increase the chance of the spread or recurrence of vitiligo."
The symptoms of vitiligo are gradually expanding and irreversible white spots on the skin. Although it is not painful or itchy, and will not be life-threatening, it will cause psychological pressure and negative effects on the patient's growth, social interaction, employment, marriage and love. It is easy to recur and difficult to cure. .
"Because there is no effective clinical treatment for vitiligo, and some dermatologists still have misunderstandings about the standardized treatment and chronic disease management of vitiligo, more than 70% of patients are not treated in regular hospitals." Wu Liangcai pointed out that there are currently some dermatologists in my country. About 14 million vitiligo patients and more than 7 million psoriasis patients.
Although the medical community has not fully grasped the pathogenesis of vitiligo, it is generally believed that the disappearance of melanocytes in the skin lesions of vitiligo may be caused by various mechanisms, and vitiligo may actually represent a spectrum of diseases.
“Patients often have a specific triggering event at the onset and exacerbation, such as physical injury or illness, sunburn, emotional stress, or pregnancy. The increased prevalence of autoimmune disease in patients with vitiligo and their first-degree relatives suggests that this The disease has an autoimmune cause. At present, targeted and comprehensive treatments for immunity are effective." Wu Liangcai said.
Physical therapy for vitiligo includes topical phototherapy and systemic phototherapy.
Narrow-band UVB can directly activate subcutaneous tyrosinase in vitiligo to promote melanin production, induce immunosuppressive factors and anti-inflammatory factors to accelerate cytotoxic T lymphocyte apoptosis, balance immune function, correct immune disorders, and promote melanocyte recovery and regeneration.
Patients often ask these questions, can vitiligo patients be treated by sun exposure every day?
"From the perspective of treatment principles, modern phototherapy is completely different from sun exposure to ultraviolet rays. The 'light' of phototherapy and the 'light' of the sun are two different types of light." Wu Liangcai said, specifically, there are 308 local phototherapy treatments. Nano to 311 nm excimer laser and excimer light are the ultraviolet wavelengths suitable for the treatment of vitiligo.
However, the sun's ultraviolet rays have a wide range, are very strong and uncontrollable. Excessive exposure to the sun will not only have no effect on the treatment of vitiligo, but will affect the treatment, which may lead to the aggravation of vitiligo.
Guangdong has a long sun exposure time, hot and humid climate, and a large population. The incidence of skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis that endanger physical and mental health is not low.
Compared with traditional systemic drug therapy, the emergence of biological agents has brought great changes to the treatment of atopic dermatitis.
Atopic dermatitis is a common chronic, recurrent, inflammatory and pruritic skin disease that seriously affects the quality of life of patients and their families.
"The treatment of atopic dermatitis is a long-term process that requires the joint efforts of both doctors and patients. On the one hand, it is necessary to strengthen the patient's awareness of the disease, enhance the long-term management awareness of patients and their families, and improve medication compliance; , to improve doctors' diagnosis and management capabilities, promote the transformation of the treatment concept to 'maintenance treatment', and at the same time strengthen communication with patients, provide more knowledge of long-term disease management, and help patients achieve standardized, standardized, and whole-course management." Nanfang Professor Lin Zhimiao, head of the Department of Pediatric Dermatology, Medical University Dermatology Hospital, said.
Lin Zhimiao reminded that in addition to drug treatment, the daily care of such patients is also very important, and attention should be paid to all aspects of "clothing, food, housing, transportation, and washing."
Because the patient's skin is dry and sensitive, cotton should be the main choice for loose clothing; children should also avoid allergic foods, and try not to keep pets; wear masks when traveling, do sun protection, and avoid contact with allergens such as pollen.
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