Therapeutic effects of 308 nm excimer laser in the treatment of vitiligo on the head and neck area

Background: The excimer laser has recently been introduced as a new therapeutic modality for vitiligo. However, to date, there have only been a few clinical reports evaluating the therapeutic effects of excimer laser treatment for vitiligo of the head and neck area. Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of excimer laser therapy on vitiligo of the head and neck area against various clinical parameters. Methods: The 87 patients enrolled in this study were treated with excimer laser monotherapy. We observed the grade of repigmentation after 20 sessions of treatment, and analyzed mean grade of repigmentation with regard to various clinical parameters, to discover determinant factors on therapeutic outcome. Results: Thirty-four of the 87 patients (39.1%) achieved more than 50% repigmentation after or within 20 sessions. The response to treatment was related to the duration of evolution of the vitiligo, type of vitiligo, history of previous treatments, and existence of poliosis within the lesion (respectively, p=0.006, 0.001, <0.001, 0.004). No relationship could be established between response to the treatment and the following variables: localization of the treated lesion and age of onset (respectively, p=0.42, 0.99). Peri-lesional hyperpigmentation was a relatively common side effect, but other adverse effects were limited and transient. Conclusion: Excimer laser therapy is an effective and safe therapy for vitiligo of the face and neck area. Promising results from excimer laser therapy can be expected in patients who have a short duration of evolution of the vitiligo below 1 year, a focal or generalized type of vitiligo, no previous history of treatment, and a vitiliginous lesion without poliosis.