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New Options for Treating Skin Pigment Disorders

October 2nd, 2009 Leo No comments

University of Cincinnati (UC) discovered that melanocytes are not the only cells that create differences in skin coloration.  Instead there are some of the basic cells on the skin’s surface that influence pigment production and help control skin color.

This research has presented hope for new approaches to the treatment of skin pigment disorders that leave the skin blemished by light or dark blotches.

Raymond Boissy, PhD, and his team in their preclinical dermatological study, discovered that keratinocytes carry certain characteristics that could control skin pigmentation.

Epidermis (outer layer of skin) is composed of 96 percent of keratinocytes (surface skin cells) and 2 percent of melanocytes (pigment producing cell). keratinocytes give the skin structural integrity and it also helps in protecting the body from infection.

Boissy said that his team’s discoveries can help scientists formulate new drugs that change the physiological processes that cause pigmentation disorders such as vitiligo and melasma. He explained that he and his team isolated particular physiological properties that control the melanocytes functional abilities. This discovery is significant because a lot of pigment diseases are the consequence of malfunctioning of the melanocytes. According to him this set of new molecules can help patients with pigment disorders in creating uniform skin color.

Their previous research showed that keratinocytes play a role in skin coloration of genetic factors regulating the melanocyte. Further they found that there was no informationall difference between the melanosomes in keratinocytes for dark and light skin responsible for sorting within the keratinocyte. These cells arranged themselves based on ethnic background.

For this study they develop a human skin substitute model using a keratinocytes and melanocyte which they obtained from donated light and dark skin. They transplanted this skin in a mouse and allowed it to grow for about three months.

When the researchers transplanted keratinocytes from dark-skinned individuals to skin substitutes they got a darkening skin effect and got lightening skin effect when they transplanted keratinocytes from people with fair complexion into skin substitutes. They obtained intermediate skin color when they combined melanocytes and keratinocytes from light and dark skin together.

In addition, the researchers also discovered that quantity of pigment produced is influenced by keratinocytes. Boissy said that “the effect is subtle but, it shows that it’s not just genetics of the melanocyte that determines skin coloration”.

Source: http://www.uc.edu/

Categories: Vitiligo Research Tags:

Vitiligo Diet

May 16th, 2009 Leo No comments

Vitiligo-DietNo vitiligo diet or any special diet exists that can help anyone improve, treat or cure Vitiligo. People have different food recipes for improving vitiligo but these recipes mostly don’t work. Even no scientific proof of any vitiligo diet exists. If any good vitiligo diet was available surely everybody would have heard about it by now. Everybody should take healthy and nutritious diet as it makes immune system stronger and helps fight against disease more efficiently.

Food is the most important part of everybody’s life. Everybody is dependent on food and it is the only source of energy. No supplement exists that can replace rich balanced diet. A healthy diet involves taking suitable amount of all nutrients and sufficient amount of water.

Modern food does not meet many requirements of healthy food. Modern foods are grown and processed using many chemical pesticides. These pesticides invade the skin of fruits and when these fruits are consumed pesticides enter our body. It is proven scientifically that most diseases in the modern world are because of the sedentary lifestyles, overeating of rich food and modern food processing.

Eating healthy can save us from many diseases. There are a variety of foods available in the market today. One should be very careful in deciding what to eat. First determine that how many calories your body needs and take food accordingly. Our body needs fats to function properly so we should consume an appropriate quantity of good fats. Carbohydrates are also important coz these are the body’s main source of energy. Don’t skip breakfasts as research has proven that people who take breakfasts have higher immunity than those who don’t.

Categories: Living with Vitiligo Tags: