Micropigmentation, also called medical tattoo, can be an alternative treatment for vitiligo patients resistant to conventional treatments.
Vitiligo is an immune system disorder that is characterized by the loss of skin pigmentation.
The immune system mistakenly recognizes the melanocytes, which are responsible for producing melanin, as a foreign body and destroys them.
It affects people of all ethnicities and can be widespread or limited to a small area of the body.
How does micropigmentation work?
Also known as a medical tattoo or permanent cosmetic, it is a treatment to place the pigment on the skin by mimicking the color of the skin in the area affected by vitiligo.
The color is injected between the dermis and the epidermis, but not as thoroughly as classic tattoos.
The pigments that are used are natural and mineral based. A special mix is created, customized for each patient, to best match the skin tone.
Microneedles are used to inject the pigment, which infuse color into the white patches of Vitiligo.
Because relatively large patches of skin are treated, several sessions are required to complete the treatment. On average they range from 4 to 8 sessions.
Although the results are immediately visible, a portion of the pigment is exfoliated after each session and at least 4 sessions are required to build the correct color.
The effects of this treatment typically last between 1 and 3 years, but in some cases even longer. The reason for the short duration of the treatment is because the pigment is not deeply injected.
Today the micropigmentation treatment can also be used to treat vitiligo, drawing the original complexion of the skin on the patches.
It can be said that this treatment is a sort of camouflage to mask the white spots, thus covering them in a profitable way.
Once the skin heals and the color settles, no one will notice the presence of Vitiligo.
