Photodynamic therapy of vitiligo: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND:Vitiligo is an acquired autoimmune skin disorder with depigmented macules and patches. There are several possible treatments for vitiligo, none of which could be considered as a definitive cure. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a novel treatment with controversial outcomes in vitiligo patients. MATERIALS & METHODS:A total of 10 patches (5 patches on the trunk, 3 on the extremities, and 2 on the neck) were selected and received microderm abrasion. Then the lesion was covered with 5- aminolevulinic acid (ALA) for one hour. Afterwards, it received red light with a dose of 120 J/cm2.This cycle was repeated monthly for 5 sessions. Another vitiligo patch was considered as a control and received topical mometasone twice a day during the study. The therapeutic results were compared by a blind dermatologist. RESULTS:The median of repigmentation score, which was determined by a blind dermatologist, was 0.5 in the PDT group and 1 in the steroid group, which did not show any statistically significant difference. CONCLUSION:The results of this study demonstrated that PDT does not have any additional therapeutic effect in comparison with topical corticosteroids as the traditional treatment of vitiligo.