NBUVB phototherapy appears better than PUVA therapy with the most effective response on the face and neck.With respect to improved repigmentation: topical calcineurin inhibitors plus phototherapy are better than phototherapy alone, hydrocortisone plus laser light is better than laser light alone, gingko biloba is better than placebo, and oral mini-pulse of prednisolone (OMP) plus NB-UVB is better than OMP alone. Skin camouflage
In mild cases, vitiligo patches can be hidden with makeup or other cosmetic camouflage solutions. If the affected person is pale-skinned, the patches can be made less visible by avoiding tanning of unaffected skin. De-pigmenting
In cases of extensive vitiligo the option to de-pigment the unaffected skin with topical drugs like monobenzone, mequinol, or hydroquinone may be considered to render the skin an even color. The removal of all the skin pigment with monobenzone is permanent and vigorous. Sun-safety must be adhered to for life to avoid severe sunburn and melanomas. Depigmentation takes about a year to complete. History
Descriptions of a disease believed to be vitiligo date back to a passage in the medical text Ebers Papyrus c. 1500 BCE in ancient Egypt. Mentions of whitening of the skin were also present c. 1400 BCE in sacred Indian texts such as Atharvaveda.
Reteplase, trade names include Retavase, is a thrombolytic drug, used to treat heart attacks by breaking up the clots that cause them. Reteplase is a recombinant non-glycosylated form of human tissue plasminogen activator, which has been modified to contain 357 of the 527 amino acids of the original protein. It is produced in the bacterium Escherichia coli. Reteplase was approved for use in 1996.Reteplase is similar to recombinant human tissue plasminogen activator (alteplase), but the modifications give reteplase a longer half-life of 13–16 minutes. Reteplase also binds fibrin with lower affinity than alteplase, improving its ability to penetrate into clots. As reteplase  is able to penetrate inside the thrombi, an enhanced fibrinolytic activity will be achieved → rapid reperfusion → low incidence of bleeding. == References ==