Q I heard vitiligo is an intractable disease that even Korean medicine can't fully cure—is there still any point in getting treatment?
A Honestly, vitiligo is an intractable condition for which a complete cure cannot be promised. That said, Korean medicine treatment is meaningful in its supportive role of curbing the spread of white patches and helping repigmentation, in which color gradually returns.
Detailed Answer
Vitiligo is an intractable disease for which neither conventional nor Korean medicine can promise that it will "definitely heal," and it would not be right to give exaggerated expectations. However, whether or not you receive treatment can clearly change the course. Treatment can halt progression, and in some cases repigmentation appears, with color gradually returning starting from around the hair follicles. Areas such as the face, which are rich in hair follicles and where onset is recent, tend to respond well.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
The goal of Korean medicine treatment is not to erase the white patches at once, but first to calm the immune system's excessive attack to create a "state where it spreads no further," and then to boost qi and blood circulation to the periphery of the skin, preparing the ground for color to return. A more stable course can be expected when this is combined with standard treatments such as phototherapy.
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