Noble Vitiligo Clinics, part of the Noble Aesthetic Clinics, has introduced stem cells therapy to treat Vitiligo or white patch condition across all its facilities in the country covering Bangalore, Chennai, Kochi, Hyderabad and Mumbai.
Patients are expected to benefit from this procedure. Vitiligo is an extremely common skin disease in India and affects about 2 per cent of Indian population. Though the disease is cosmetic in nature, it has a lot of social stigma associated with it. Patients find it difficult to get married, find jobs, or get shunted out of high profile jobs and parents find it difficult to get their children married. Many people believe the myth that white patches are genetic in nature and some people even refuse to shake hands with such patients, said Dr Vivekanad N Bhat, consultant Cosmetic Surgeon and president of Noble Clinics.
With recent advances in biotechnology and with the availability of newer techniques like Melanocyte transplant surgery and now stem cell therapy it is now possible for most patients to get the skin colour back.
Stem cells are injected intra-venous in the body and it helps stabilize the spread of Vitiligo, and boost pigmentation over a period of time. The cells have immunosuppressive and immuno modulatory properties.
Majority of patients suffering from Vitiligo have auto immune disease as the main cause wherein the patients immune system malfunctions and produces auto antibodies - a protein which destroys the colour manufacturing cells in the skin called Melanocytes. Once these cells are killed, there is no pigmentation and the skin turns white.
Noble clinic had launched Melanocyte transplant surgery in south India 11 years ago and has now performed more than 2500 surgeries and is attracting patients from all over world to its center in Bangalore. Now the clinics will offer stem cell related procedures as an alternate to melanocyte transplant surgery.