Jan 2026: Vitiligo Treatment (7months)
52nd – 5 Jan
It has become a routine to visit the clinic twice a week. I feel more comfortable attending this clinic than I did previously.
Despite the ongoing commitment to my son’s care and the passage of time, I find myself contemplating reducing the frequency of clinic visits, even though the clinic is conveniently located and these visits are recognized as necessary.
A key factor in managing vitiligo is consistent treatment, which for me translates to dedicating four hours twice a week without interruption. This presents a significant challenge for parents. There are moments when I feel a profound sense of regret for my son’s condition.
I have given considerable thought to purchasing a home laser device from an international online marketplace. The product is priced at approximately 800,000 won, excluding tax.
Furthermore, I am uncertain about the necessity of acquiring such a device, especially given that we are already receiving regular twice-weekly treatments. I had progressed to the point of entering all necessary information for an overseas purchase, reaching the payment page, but ultimately decided against completing the transaction.
I am hopeful for the possibility of obtaining a more favorable price through a cooperative purchasing initiative via an online vitiligo community. However, I am apprehensive about independently managing a medical device, potentially due to concerns about side effects, which contributes to my cautious approach.
53rd – 10 Jan
My son is experiencing some discomfort inside his mouth following laser treatment. I am uncertain if this discomfort is directly related to the laser treatment.
While other parts of his body, such as his face and hands, haven’t shown significant changes, his neck area presents a completely different situation. There is no visible vitiligo, and it’s as if it never existed, leading one to believe that nothing was there before.
I am concerned that at some point, he may realize he looks different from his peers, which could lead him to blame himself and everything around him.
Despite my best efforts for my son, the current situation is quite significant. This past Saturday, my wife took him to the clinic. I aim to take him to the clinic twice a week, but my schedule makes this challenging.
Therefore, I ask my wife to take him to the clinic on weekends when she is available. Since I am unable to take him to the clinic every week, I need to make an exception this time.
54th – 13 Jan
A considerable effort was made to transport all the children to Daegu for visits to several clinics to address each child’s medical concerns.
The children were delighted to miss kindergarten and spend time with their parents, though it proved to be quite a challenging experience.
I would arrive at the dermatology clinic in Daegu early in the morning to add names to the waiting list, aiming to reduce the waiting time. I had packed some snacks for the children to enjoy before lunch or whenever they desired, but all the provisions brought from home were completely consumed within 30 minutes of our arrival at the clinic.
Typically, the amount of food I bring when traveling with my son for his care is sufficient, but on this occasion, they seemed to have an immediate craving to eat everything at once. I surmise their appetites were stimulated by the presence of others with whom they could play.
We consulted with four different doctors, each specializing in a different field. It was a valuable experience to bring all the children and undertake this medical tour.
While YeongCheon does have some clinics, the options are not as diverse, necessitating a trip to Daegu, often via public transportation. I had not fully appreciated the convenience of having a wide array of medical choices when I resided in larger cities.
55th – 17 Jan
Today, my wife is taking our son to the clinic. I feel a sense of regret that she has to manage this, especially with her full-time work commitments. It is truly helpful that she is able to take him to the clinic for one of his two weekly appointments.
This week, I will be traveling to Busan to address another medical concern for one of our other children. It seems this weekend will be quite demanding. My wife and I need to collaborate effectively for the well-being of our children.
A few days ago, I received a Sigma mini machine from overseas. I am currently unsure of how to properly operate this device, and its cost was rather substantial. The biggest concern, however, is determining its necessity, even though my son attends the clinic twice a week.
It would be beneficial to have an alternative treatment option for his condition, particularly in case we miss a clinic visit. I am uncertain about the laser’s intensity levels, so I used the lowest setting of 0.01 on some areas of his face and hands.
After using the home laser device, I experienced some eye discomfort within a few minutes. I will certainly use protective goggles next time and will acquire several safety goggles for others when using the laser at home.
56th – 19 Jan
The physician at the clinic noted that the vitiligo on my son’s wrist is showing signs of repigmentation, with the skin beginning to fill in. This observation was made during his laser treatment.
It is hoped that his facial vitiligo will have returned to its natural skin color before he commences elementary school. The vitiligo on his chin is not easily seen, so there is no immediate rush for that area, but the vitiligo on his cheek is a totally different matter, as anyone who catches a glimpse of his face will notice it immediately.
As time progresses, he may encounter difficulties with his peers as he becomes more conscious of his unique characteristics. We extend our best wishes to your family.
57th – 22 Jan
I was curious as to why my son’s vitiligo was not visible on his foot and nose, even though a Wood’s lamp and camera detected a difference in skin color. When I inquired with the doctor, she explained that the visibility of vitiligo can vary depending on an individual’s skin tone.
58th – 26th Jan (eye pain) 👁️
My son has informed me that he is experiencing discomfort in his left eye. Initially, I thought it might be due to dust, but I later recalled that he was fine before our visit to the dermatology clinic.
I suspect that during his phototherapy session, some UV light may have entered his eyes. For the past few visits, he has not been wearing full head coverage, as it is preferable for the UV light to reach his face.
Instead, he has been covering his eyes with his hand. It seems some UV light may have reached his left eye, particularly around the edge of his hand. He cried a great deal that night and has been crying frequently since returning home. I did not realize the cause until we were home and discussed when the discomfort began.
Consequently, I tried to minimize light exposure in our home and keep him calm. I now understand that purchasing an eye bandage on the way home would have been beneficial, but I was unaware of the connection to the UV light treatment at the time. I plan to acquire one before our next visit.
Fortunately, he was fine the following day, suggesting he experienced pain for approximately 12 hours.
59th – 28th Jan 👁️🗨️ (Eye Bandage)
We are preparing an eye bandage and protective eyewear for the child. The eye bandage is intended to safeguard his eye condition, even when he is not wearing anything on his eye during excimer laser treatment.
The eye bandage will only be worn during the UV light treatment. He did not experience any discomfort in his eyes after the clinic visit.
Whatever caused his eye pain last time, it did not recur this time. We are using an eye bandage for the visit, with the hope that he will no longer be in pain.
