Medical advances to improve your pigmentation
Dr Véronique Emmenegger
Vitiligo is a pathology categorised by the depigmentation of the skin, a consequence of lost melanocytes. This affliction can be localised or more extensive. It does not pose any particular threat to the patient’s health, and some people have even used it to their advantage by turning it into a beauty ally, such as model Winnie Harlow. However, this condition often leads to aesthetic and social hang-ups that can have a significant impact on a patient’s mental health.
Unlike common misconceptions, there are now more solutions available to patients. However, after several fruitless appointments, many patients are not aware that these treatments exist. Luckily, certain doctors decided to study this condition in the hope of offering solutions for patients who were suffering. Thanks to new devices and a modern approach, treatments have greatly evolved over recent years.
As specialists in treating vitiligo, the doctors and therapists at the Clinic Lémanic keep a close eye on scientific and technological developments in order to offer a modern and, above all, personalised treatment approach. Over the last few years, the gradual increase in demand has led us to understand that patients need to feel that we are paying attention to their suffering, as well as providing them with a tailored solution. Vitiligo varies greatly depending on the individual. It can present in very limited areas or cover extensive areas of skin, it appears in outbreaks or in a stable way, on the body and/or the face. It is also vital to take the patient’s skin tone into consideration, as this will automatically have an impact on the result: vitiligo lesions on very dark skin will generally regain their pigmentation in fewer sessions than on very pale skin. What is more, it is important to inform the patient from the outset that it is impossible to predict how the skin will respond to the treatment, as this varies greatly from one patient to the next. Every case is different, which is why the treatment is adapted to every patient.
Our therapeutic strategy uses a multimodal and progressive approach, combining various techniques to optimise the results. Today, the Excimer laser is the gold standard in terms of targeted treatments for localised vitiligo, generally used for the face. It allows us to achieve impressive results from the very first session, while avoiding any unaffected areas.
In order to improve efficacy, we can associate it with other treatments, such as photobiomodulation (medical light therapy), oxygen therapy and phototherapy in a UVB cabin.
We also looked into the possible causes of this condition. Though we do not yet know much about what causes it, we do know that it tends to be multifactorial (stress, psychological shock, toxicity, origins related to immunity, etc.). Research is now leading us to believe that it might well be an internal illness that is expressed through the skin, rather than a simple skin disease. In vitiligo cases, it is useful to look at the patient’s oxidative stress levels and identify any possible antioxidant imbalances. For this reason, we also carry out a detailed medical analysis of the internal origins and offer our patients nutritional advice and potential lifestyle improvements.
Furthermore, regular check-ups are key to the treatment’s success. However, some patients are unable to travel to the clinic regularly. This is why we also offer tailored courses of treatment for a minimum 3 weeks, which allow for more intensive treatment over a limited period. When combined with at-home treatments, this speeds up the gradual re-pigmentation of the areas affected by the vitiligo, while adapting to the patient’s specific constraints.
In conclusion, though vitiligo is a complex condition, today’s medical and therapeutic advances offer a positive outlook. Now everyone can have access to modern and personalised solutions, to improve their quality of life and offer a suitable response to the patient’s aesthetic complaint and psychological suffering.
Dr Véronique Emmenegger
Doctor of Medicine. Double qualification as a specialist FMH (Switzerland) in dermatology, venereology, allergology and clinical immunology. In 1998, she co-founded Clinic Lémanic in Lausanne, Switzerland, dedicated to anti-aging medicine and the health and beauty of the skin. She has been its medical director for over 25 years. She has won several international awards, including the IIPP Prize for Merit in the Development of Medical and Aesthetic Technologies at UNESCO in Paris, and the Prize for the Best Clinic in Anti-Aging and Preventive Medicine awarded in Monaco in 2023.
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