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Asian Journal of Dermatology

Year: 2013 | Volume: 5 | Issue: 1 | Page No.: 1-10
DOI: 10.3923/ajd.2013.1.10
Repigmentation of Stable Vitiligo after Punch Minigrafting Followed by Excimer Laser: A Prospective Study
Mohammed Fawzy El-Kamel, El-Shahat Farag Ahmed and Mohamed Khaled Selim

Abstract: Punch grafting is a well-established technique for the treatment of recalcitrant stable vitiligo. Post-operative exposure to Narrow-band Ultraviolet-B (NB-UVB) radiation was reported to augment the effect of punch grafting with better and rapid cosmetic results than monotherapy. This prospective study was done to evaluate the results of combination therapy with punch minigrafting followed by 308 nanometer (nm) excimer laser for the management of stable focal or segmental vitiligo. Thirty patients with refractory stable focal or segmental vitiligo were treated with minigrafting followed by postgrafting 308 nm excimer laser three times weekly for 24 sessions. The patients were followed up every three months up to one year post-operative for evaluation of the results. All thirty patients showed repigmentation and overall results were graded as excellent in 16 patients (53.33%), good in 12 patients (40%) and fair in 2 patients after one year of postoperative follow-up. Two patients developed depigmentation at the donor site, whereas the transplanted areas retained the pigment in all patients. Percentage of excellent response was significantly higher in patients younger than 30 years compared to patients older than 30 years (p≤0.05). Excellent response was also higher in patients with segmental vitiligo compared to patients with focal vitiligo but the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). In conclusion, combination treatment with punch minigrafting and postsurgical exposure to 308 nm excimer laser in patients with stable focal or segmental vitiligo can lead to fast, cosmetically satisfying results especially in younger age groups.

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How to cite this article
Mohammed Fawzy El-Kamel, El-Shahat Farag Ahmed and Mohamed Khaled Selim, 2013. Repigmentation of Stable Vitiligo after Punch Minigrafting Followed by Excimer Laser: A Prospective Study. Asian Journal of Dermatology, 5: 1-10.

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