DEAR DR. DONOHUE: On TV, I saw a doctor announce a breakthrough in the treatment of vitiligo. He also demonstrated the results on an affected woman.

He didn’t say how one could obtain this treatment or what it was. Can you help? — S.J.

ANSWER: I saw the program, too. It’s a new cosmetic treatment, but it is not a cure.

An attack by the immune system on skin cells carrying the pigment melanin produces patches of depigmented skin (snow-white skin). That’s vitiligo. It strikes people of any race and any age, but the peak ages for its appearance are the late teens and the 20s. The depigmented skin is sensitive to sunlight, and that is the only health consequence of this condition. However, the unwanted stares of a curious public provide embarrassment to vitiligo patients and greatly affect their social and work lives. People with darkly pigmented skin show the effects of vitiligo most prominently.

The treatment you ask about is called Microskin. It’s a liquid specially devised for an individual patient’s normal skin color. On the face it lasts one or two days, and longer on other body sites. It’s waterproof and doesn’t rub off. The product is self-applied (after training sessions) by the patient with either a special sponger or with an airbrush. The results shown on TV were amazing.

The Laser and Skin Surgery Center of New York, in Midtown Manhattan, is the first place to use this technique in the United States. I’m sure other doctors will offer this treatment soon. A local dermatologist might be able to give you the names of nearby doctors who are in the process of providing Microskin. Or the National Vitiligo Foundation might have the information you desire. You can contact the foundation at www.nvfi.org.

You are aware, aren’t you, that there are many other standard treatments that can coax pigment back into vitiligo skin, and there are many other cosmetics that do a good job of providing color to the white patches?

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am a 60-year-old female with a recently diagnosed prolapsed uterus. I would like to begin an exercise program to lose weight. Are sit-ups a good idea or not? I have done some research and find that I may have to have a hysterectomy vaginally. I understand I cannot have sex again after such a procedure. Is this true? — B.H.

ANSWER: Things that contribute to uterine prolapse — a dropping down of the uterus into the vagina — are aging, time-related weakening of the ligaments holding the uterus up, having had vaginal deliveries and a drop-off in estrogen production. Activities that increase intra-abdominal pressure can make the uterus fall farther down. Sit-ups do increase intra-abdominal pressure. So does straining to eliminate stool. You can do other exercises for weight loss — walking, jogging, biking and swimming.

Women have sex after a vaginal hysterectomy. Your source of information is wrong.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have been diagnosed with secondary Sjogren’s syndrome. I am told I have an autoimmune disease and that makes my illness secondary. I also have MAI in my lung. Is it related to Sjogren’s? — E.M.

ANSWER: Sjogren’s (SHOW-grins) syndrome is the combination of dry eyes and dry mouth. Actually, it’s much more. It is an autoimmune disease, one of those illnesses where the body’s own immune system attacks part of the body — in this case, the tear and salivary glands. Secondary Sjogren’s is found in people with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma or dermatomyositis. Their Sjogren’s arrives because of these other illnesses; it is secondary to them. I’d like to inform others (I know you already know) of the Sjogren’s Syndrome Foundation, which provides patients with timely information on the illness and its current treatment. The website is www.sjogrens.org, and the phone number is 800-475-6473. MAI, mycobacterium avis complex, is an infection with a bacterium distantly related to the TB germ. It is not TB and is not spread like TB. Patients are not a hazard to those around them. It is treated with two or three antibiotics for a year or more. It doesn’t cause Sjogren’s disease.

Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Readers may also order health newsletters from www.rbmamall.com.

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