In this episode of Skincredible, we discuss how vitiligo care has changed dramatically in just the past few years. Now, there are treatments available to help restore pigment and offer real hope to patients and families, whereas in past years treatments were extremely limited.

Dr. Lisa Swanson takes a deep dive into everything you need to know about modern vitiligotreatment. She discusses that it is perfectly okay to embrace and observe vitiligo if that's what the patient would like, why early treatment is so important if patients do decide to treat, and what realistic expectations look like throughout the repigmentation journey.

Topics include:

• The three goals of vitiligo treatment: stopping progression, restoring pigment, and maintaining results.
• How repigmentation happens and why photos are an essential part of tracking progress.
• Traditional therapies like topical steroids and calcineurin inhibitors, and how they compare to newer treatments.
• How Opzelura® (ruxolitinib cream) has transformed vitiligo care, especially for facial involvement.
• The important role of sunlight and light therapy, including narrowband UVB, excimer laser, and home phototherapy units.
• Why combining treatments often produces the best results.
• Oral medications used for rapidly progressing vitiligo and exciting new JAK inhibitors currently on the horizon.
• Emerging treatments, including biologic medications and surgical pigment-restoration techniques.
• Long-term maintenance strategies
• Why depigmentation is more of a last-resort option.
• Common insurance challenges, practical treatment tips, and how to navigate the path to newer therapies.

Dr. Swanson also shares a powerful patient story that highlight just how life-changing successful vitiligo treatment can be. If you, your child or someone you love is dealing with vitiligo, there is HOPE! If you're a healthcare provider looking to better support your patients, this episode offers the latest evidence-based information, practical guidance, and a hopeful look at the future of vitiligo care.

Additional Links

Panp360.org/boston use code “SKINCREDIBLE” for free registration

Keywords

Dermatology, Marginal Repigmentation, Perifollicular Repigmentation, Difuse Repigmentation, Combined Repigmentation, Topical Corticosteroids, Tacrolimus, Pimecrolimus, Opzelura, Vitiligo, Light Therapy, Sunlight, TSW, Excimer, Narrowband Light, Heliocare, Pulsed Dose Steriods, Oral JAK Inhibitors, Surgery, Depigmentation, Xeljanz, Koebner phenomenon, confetti depigmentation, trichrome pattern depigmentation, Rinvoq, Litfulo, Povorcitinib, Vitiligo Surgery, Skin Graft, Suction Blister Grafting, Punch Biopsy Grafting, Split Thickness Skin Graft, Marginal depigmentation, Segmental vitiligo, non segmental vitiligo, Monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone (MBEH), monobenzone

Chapters

00:00 Special PANP360 Meeting Announcement for NPs and PAs

02:05 Welcome, Vitiligo Treatments

03:50 Our Differences Make Us Special, Life Lessons

06:30 JUMP Shoutout Boise, Idaho

07:00 To Watch or Treat Vitiligo

08:30 Repigmentation Signals to Look For

10:00 Topical Steroids

12:30 Topical Steroid Withdrawal TSW

15:40 Topical Calcineurin Inhibitors: Tacrolimus, Pimecrolimus

18:40 Topical Opzelura

21:40 Mom With Vitiligo: You Gave Me My Face & Life Back

24:30 Light Therapy & Heliocare

26:30 Vitiligo and Decreased Risk of Skin Cancer

27:00 PUVA In the Past

28:00 Light Therapy

30:00 Narrowband, Excimer and Home Light Therapy

32:00 Oral Pulsed Dose Steroids

34:18 Oral JAK Inhibitors

35:00 Coming Soon: Rinvoq, Litfulo, Povorcitinib

36:00 Biologics Coming Soon

37:15: Surgery

40:00 Segmental vs. Non Segmental Vitiligo

41:00 Tacrolimus for Maintenance

42:00 Never Lose Hope

43:00 Depigmentation, Michael Jackson

44:00 Monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone (MBEH)

45:00 Accept Each Other, It’s Not Your Fault

46:12 Thank You & Goodbye

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The information shared on this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Always consult your physician regarding your health.

Vitiligo is far more common than many people realize, yet it's often misunderstood. In this episode of the Skincredible Podcast, Dr. Lisa Swanson breaks down the science behind vitiligo in a way that's easy to understand. We’ll discuss types of vitiligo, how dermatologists diagnose it and why early evaluation matters.

In this episode, you will learn how vitiligo differs from other causes of light patches on the skin (including pityriasis alba and tinea versicolor) and discover the differences between segmental and non-segmental vitiligo. Dr. Swanson also explains the autoimmune process behind pigment loss, genetic risk, and the connection between vitiligo and other autoimmune conditions.

The conversation also explores the emotional and social impact of living with vitiligo, addressing common misconceptions, cultural stigma, and why vitiligo should never be considered "just cosmetic." Finally, Dr. Swanson shares which factors can influence prognosis and offers reassurance that treatment has advanced dramatically in recent years.

This episode lays the foundation for next week's deep dive into vitiligo treatments—and why there's more reason for hope than ever before!

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What vitiligo is, types of vitiligo and why it develops
• How dermatologists distinguish vitiligo from other light patches on the skin
• The differences between segmental and non-segmental vitiligo
• Genetics, and associated autoimmune conditions
• Why early diagnosis and treatment are important
• The emotional and psychological impact of vitiligo
• What affects prognosis and what today's treatment landscape looks like

Keywords

Vitiligo, Pityriasis alba, Tinea Versicolor, Depigmented Skin, Hypopigmented Skin, Skin, Dermatology, Pigment Loss, Segmental Vitiligo, Non-Segmental Vitiligo, Michael Jackson

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The information shared on this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Always consult your physician regarding your health.

Are hair growth supplements (referred to as “nutraceuticals” or “trichoceuticals” in this episode) worth the investment? Which ingredients have science behind them, and what do they actually cost?

In this episode of Skincredible, Dr. Lisa Swanson sits down with board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist Dr. Amy Spizuoco to unpack the rapidly growing world of hair-loss nutraceuticals. Together, they discuss ingredients in popular products like Nutrafol, Viviscal, Wellbel, and Xtressé. They also discuss the rise and fall of biotin supplementation, and explain how ingredients like saw palmetto, ashwagandha, pumpkin seed extract, and NAD+ may support hair growth.

In this episode, Dr. Swanson and Dr. Spizuoco also explore common causes of hair shedding, including: telogen effluvium, postpartum hair loss, and GLP-1-related hair changes, and discuss practical strategies for supporting hair health during stressful life events. Dr. Spizuoco shares how she incorporates supplements alongside treatments such as oral minoxidil, compounded topical therapies, low-level laser devices, and platelet-rich plasma (PRP).

Plus, stay tuned for a fun rapid-fire round covering New York City life, coffee habits, flying preferences, astronaut dreams, and whether life in Manhattan is really as glamorous as it looks on TV.

In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why dermatologists have become more cautious about biotin supplementation
• The differences between Nutrafol, Viviscal, Wellbel, and Xtressé
• Which supplement ingredients have the strongest evidence for hair growth
• How GLP-1 medications can impact hair health
• What PRP treatments involve and who may benefit from them
• How dermatologists approach androgenetic alopecia and telogen effluvium

Whether you're experiencing hair thinning yourself or simply curious about the latest advances in hair vitamins, this episode delivers practical, evidence-based insights from two highly knowledgeable and board-certified dermatologists.

Keywords

Dermatology, hair loss, alopecia, alopecia totalis, alopecia universalis, alopecia areata, telogen effluvium, hair, skin, nutrafol, viviscal, wellbel, xtresse, vitamins, hair vitamins, glp-1, peptides, prp, platelet rich plasma, vegamour, pumpkin seed, NAD+, ashwagandha, saw palmetto

Links, Attachments

Dr. Spizuoco’s conference: https://dermvipsummit.com/

Dr. Spizuoco’s biography: https://true-dermatology.com/about/meet-dr-spizuoco

Nutrafol: https://nutrafol.com/

Viviscal: https://www.viviscal.com

Wellbel: https://wellbel.com/

Xtressé: https://xtresse.com

Vegamour: https://vegamour.com/

Chapters

00:00 Intro & Welcome Dr. Amy Spizuoco

02:00 DermVIP Summit

03:46 Biotin In the Past

07:03 Any Tricks to Try to “Prevent” Telogen Effluvium

08:48 Four Products With the Most Science

10:33 AminoMar, Marine Complex

11:06 Saw Palmetto

13:33 Mechanism of Action

15:25 Pricing

16:44 Side Effects

18:09 Monotherapy vs. Multiple Modalities

19:40 Full Court Press Approach

20:34 PRP Platelet Rich Plasma

25:00 Exosomes

28:00 Rapid Fire

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The information shared on this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Always consult your physician regarding your health.