Home Remedy for Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a disorder in which segments of skin lose pigmentation. The disorder may be evident in a few places on the skin, across large patches or on the whole body. To treat their vitiligo, patients usually seek help from a dermatologist, who is likely to prescribe creams, ultraviolet therapy or other treatments. However, you may wish to treat your vitiligo with natural home remedies, either independently or in conjunction with a medical doctor.

Home Remedies

Several natural remedies may be helpful when trying to reduce the depigmentation that comes with vitiligo. Turmeric and mustard oil can be a good mixture for treating vitiligo at home. Both of these substances aid in boosting the immune system. Mix 5 teaspoons of turmeric powder with 250 milliliters of mustard oil. Apply this paste to depigmented areas of skin twice a day. If you keep this up for a year, you should see color return to the area.

Wild duckweed also helps to add pigment back to white patches of skin. Duckweed, also known as lemna minor, grows during summer, so collect as much as you can during this season. Wash off the duckweed, then grind it into a paste. Add one part of the paste to one part honey. Drink a teaspoon of it twice a day after eating.

Many people who want to try home remedies for vitiligo turn to St. John's wort. St. John's wort increases the skin's responsiveness to sunlight, which can bring color back to your skin. Take St. John's wort as a supplement in a topical form, or you may choose to mix it with other ingredients to make a drink. However, if you are pregnant or nursing, do not use St. John's wort. The topical form of St. John's wort involves addng a tablespoon of its leaves to one cup of boiling water. Let it steep for half an hour, then strain out the leaves. Rub this into your skin where the melanin has gone, twice a day.

To make the drink, mix one part St. John's wort herb, one part oregano herb, one part calendula flowers and one part chamomile flowers. Take a teaspoon of this mixture, then add a cup of boiling water and let it steep for at least 15 minutes, but no more than 20 minutes. Drink half a cup of this twice a day for one month.

Babchi, khella, and red clay also are used for vitiligo home treatment. Apply a paste made from babchi seeds to the depigmented areas of your skin, then expose this area to early morning sunlight for 20 minutes. Khella should be ingested daily, in 120 to 160 milligram doses. You can mix the powder into your food. Mixed with ginger juice, red clay can also bring pigmentation back to your skin. Combine one part red clay with one part ginger juice, then rub the mixture into your areas of depigmentation daily.

Changes in Diet

There are other ways to treat vitiligo that involve altering your diet somewhat. Foods to avoid with vitiligo include soft drinks, mango, dairy products, red meat and citrus fruits. Eating cucumber daily should help with your vitiligo. Other substances that may be beneficial to you are olive oil, black pepper and green tea.

You may have a deficiency of B-complex vitamins in your system as a result of the vitiligo. If so, make sure to include plenty of foods with B vitamins in your diet. For example, milk and whole-grain products contain a high amount of B2. B2 is an important vitamin--if you are lacking it, you may form skin disorders. In addition to eating foods rich in B vitamins, you may wish to take a vitamin supplement pill daily for best results.