‘Will this doctor fix it?’: Why constantly changing doctors can hurt vitiligo treatment
Doctors urge parents to stay calm, choose one trusted dermatologist, and understand that vitiligo is not life-threatening, nor contagious.
Synopsis: Doctors explained that Vitiligo, an autoimmune condition, has no one-size-fits-all treatment, and outcomes are unpredictable. Yet the social stigma attached to visible white patches drives families to search for a “quick fix”.
When eight-year-old Rishi developed a faint white patch near his mouth, his parents panicked. Within weeks, he was taken to five different doctors across Bengaluru. One prescribed steroids, another suggested pujas, and yet another recommended phototherapy.
At each clinic, Rishi sat silently as anxious adults discussed his “defect” in front of him. By the time he reached the sixth doctor, he had stopped looking in the mirror — and refused to go to school.
This is the untold reality for many families navigating vitiligo in India: A frantic cycle of doctor-shopping that often does more emotional harm than medical good.
Speaking to South First about the trauma that the chronic skin condition can cause, Dr Girish MS said, “The condition can appear at any stage of life, even as early as three months after birth. Understandably, this can cause deep concern for parents, prompting them to seek immediate answers.”
He said that, in many cases, their first stop is the internet, especially social media, where misinformation is rampant. “Cultural beliefs may further push families towards unproven remedies offered by alternative healers, temple visits, etc. In most cases, there will be doctor-shopping, all in the hope of a quick fix.”
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What is vitiligo?
Vitiligo is a chronic skin condition in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks melanocytes — the cells responsible for skin pigmentation — resulting in irregular, depigmented patches on the skin. Even though it can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender or ethnicity, its visibility on darker skin often adds a layer of social and emotional difficulty.
Speaking to South First, Dr Abhiram R, dermatologist at iSkin Clinic in Bengaluru, said that this chronic condition can appear even at birth.
“Vitiligo in itself doesn’t really harm anyone or doesn’t have an impact on general health or hospitalise them. However, patients or parents and caregivers of patients come to dermatologists because of stigma, societal reasons. There are lots of myths, alternative medicines, religious “cures”, and food restrictions attached to this condition. We, MD-qualified dermatologists, go with evidence-based medicine,” explained Dr Abhiram.
The trauma of chasing a cure
Doctors explained that this autoimmune condition has no one-size-fits-all treatment, and outcomes are unpredictable. Yet the social stigma attached to visible white patches drives families to search for a “quick fix”.
“Parents often go from clinic to clinic, hoping to hear that someone can cure it completely. However, inconsistent treatment and unregulated advice can delay progress and damage trust,” said Dr Abhiram. Citing a case from his clinic, he said, “In my clinic, a six-year-old child was brought in with a vitiligo patch —and before coming to me, the family had already consulted five other qualified dermatologists.”
When Dr Abhiram asked the parents why they had come to her after seeing so many specialists, their response was telling: “We just can’t accept that our child has vitiligo. We want someone to tell us it’s not vitiligo.”
Dr Abhiram recalled firmly telling them, “This mindset is not helpful. What you’re going through is based on fear and misinformation. Vitiligo can begin at any age — I’ve seen it in children as young as two, and adults well into their senior years, regardless of gender.”
He further explained that one of the most common questions parents ask is whether there’s a cure. “I always clarify that vitiligo is not a disease, but a disorder with complex underlying mechanisms. While it doesn’t affect overall health, it can be emotionally distressing,” he said.
“With early intervention, and if the patient is disciplined and cooperative, we can achieve significant results. Timely treatment always offers a better prognosis,” Dr Abhiram added.
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‘Doctor shopping’ can cause more stigma
Dr Sridhar B, a psychologist from Bengaluru, explained that children with this condition usually internalise the panic and shame.
“Imagine being paraded in front of strangers, poked, photographed, and told your skin is ‘abnormal’. That stays with you,” said Dr Sridhar.
Dr Vidya Rakesh, Senior Resident at Department of Dermatology in the ESIC MC PGIMSR Model Hospital in Bengaluru, told South First that the pattern of going from one doctor to another – often without referrals or continuity – in search of a definitive diagnosis or more effective treatment, refferred to as “doctor shopping”, has several risks.
Listing a few of them, she said, this can cause:
Interrupted treatments: Different physicians may follow varying treatment protocols. Constantly switching doctors may prevent any one approach from being followed long enough to show results.
Unsafe drug use: Patients may end up using multiple medications simultaneously — in case of not informing the doctors about other prescriptions — increasing the risk of side effects like skin thinning, steroid-induced acne, or systemic complications.
Delayed detection of related condition: Vitiligo is often associated with other autoimmune disorders such as thyroid issues, type 1 Diabetes, and pernicious anaemia. Fragmented care may delay screening and diagnosis of these coexisting conditions.
Financial burden: Repeated consultations, redundant testing, and trial-and-error treatments can take a significant financial toll.
Emotional exhaustion: Repeated disappointment and uncertainty can lead to emotional fatigue, depression, or even complete withdrawal from treatment.
What parents can do differently
Doctors urge parents to stay calm, choose one trusted dermatologist, and understand that vitiligo is not life-threatening, nor contagious.
“We’ve had children terrified of eating white rice or wearing white clothes because they were told it would worsen the disease,” said Dr Girish. “This kind of misinformation only fuels anxiety.”
Dr Abhiram suggested what parents need to do:
Open conversations at home.
Reassurance that appearance doesn’t define worth.
Involving the child in treatment decisions when age-appropriate.
Prioritising mental health support if signs of distress appear.
Is there a cure for vitiligo?
Many parents often ask if there’s a cure for vitiligo, but Dr Abhiram prefers to set realistic expectations. “I always tell them vitiligo is not a disease—it’s a disorder with complex processes happening inside the body. Though it’s complicated, it doesn’t affect your overall health,” he said.
“Our goal is not to ‘cure’ it, but to treat and manage it effectively. With early intervention, patient cooperation, determination, and discipline, we can definitely achieve success,” he added.
According to Dr Abhiram, the treatment approach has two main stages. “The first step is to stabilise the condition and stop the spread, because the longer it’s unstable, the more melanocyte damage occurs,” he explained.
“Once it’s stable, we move to repigmentation — restoring colour to the patches. Some areas, like mucosa or soles, may not respond well, but areas with surrounding melanin can show promising results. Alongside topical treatments, we also use light therapies, immunomodulators, and in some cases, vitiligo surgery. We address underlying triggers, too — like oxidative stress, nutritional deficiencies, thyroid issues, and lifestyle habits — to manage the autoimmune nature of the disorder.”
Meanwhile, Dr Rajetha Damisetty, a renowned dermatologist, told South First, “Vitiligo can be effectively and safely treated by dermatologists using oral medicines, creams, phototherapy and even surgery. Yet many patients hesitate to seek help that modern scientific medicine can offer due to misconceptions about side effects,”
Vitiligo, she said, is extensively studied and has excellent tract records if medicines are used appropriately. Many alternate systems of medicine, such as Unani and Ayurveda, contain heavy metals like lead and arsenic and can lead to toxicity and even skin cancer in the long run, she warned.
She added, “Newer medicines like JAK inhibitors such as tofacitinib have made the results better and faster. The future is bright for vitiligo patients, and biologics and targeted therapies are in the pipeline. Even the first US FDA approval for Ruxolitinib, which is yet to be launched in India, is a good hope,” she added.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)