Should I Take Topical Or Oral Antioxidants for Vitiligo?

Should I take topical or oral antioxidants for  vitiligo? 

Key points 

There is some growing evidence supporting oral antioxidants supplementation, specifically associated with UVB  irradiation of the skin. 

There are no defined dosing parameters and side effects profiles studies on antioxidants oral supplementation  in vitiligo subjects.

Polypodium Leucotomos (a fern of the American subtropics) , Ginkgo Biloba, cucumis melo, alpha lipoic acid,  vitamins C and E, polyunsaturated fatty acids, phenylalanine and other natural substances have been assumed  per os with the sake of elevating systemic catalase activity in blood and, thus, decrease the levels of reactive  oxygen species. Recently curcumin alone or in combination with capsaicin and resveratrol have been shown to  contrast vitiligo actively. 

Answer 

There is a clear inclination of the experts in the  field of vitiligo research toward considering that  appearance and progression of white patches are  related to a global unbalanced activity of the  scavenger mechanism (s), which decreases the  levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) both in  blood and in skin of the vitiligo patients. 

Thus, both local and systemic use of substances  that are able to decrease the levels of reactive  oxygen species have been repeatedly proposed. 

Most of these substances are mentioned in the  Key points section of this paragraph. 

In general, while some studies show  remarkably good results in repigmentation after the use of local or systemic “natural antioxidants”,  other studies show no benefits. 

The Dermatological Scientific Community  seems to encourage both per os and local use of  the “natural antioxidants” for treating vitiligo. 

Nevertheless, defined dosing parameters,  double blind consistent studies on efficacy and  safety profiles of these natural substances are not  clarified yet. 

A book on “Natural Antioxidants in General  Medicine and in Dermatology” co-edited by the  present Authors will be available soon for the VRF  audience.