Excimer light versus excimer light with topical prostaglandin in the treatment of facial vitiligo: a comparative study

Abstract

Background and aim Vitiligo is a common skin-depigmentation disorder characterized by the absence of melanocytes. The mechanism and etiology of vitiligo is still unknown, so the treatment of vitiligo is challenging. There are several treatment options for vitiligo, such as topical, systemic, phototherapy, and surgical treatment. We aimed to compare between the efficacies of excimer light alone versus excimer light with topical prostaglandin (PGE) in the treatment of facial vitiligo. Patients and methods This is a comparative study that was carried out on 50 patients (their mean age was 29.57 years, 33 patients were females) diagnosed as facial vitiligo. Two patches of vitiligo were chosen in the same patient, one treated with topical latanoprost (—two to three drops once daily with excimer light two sessions per week for 3 months), the other patch treated with excimer light alone two sessions per week for 3 months. Results There was a significant reduction in vitiligo-surface area after application of excimer light with topical PGE. Also, there was a significant reduction in the vitiligo-surface area after application of excimer light alone, with no significant difference between the two methods; however, there was mild reduction in the surface area of vitiligo patches after application of excimer light with topical PGE more than after application of excimer light alone. Conclusion Excimer light with topical PGE can be used as an effective and safe promising topical treatment for vitiligo, especially the facial variant.

Keywords

• excimer light; facial vitiligo; latanoprost