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Recent advances in the treatment of childhood vitiligo

2008; Informa; Volume: 3; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1586/17469872.3.6.691

1746-9880

Samantha Berti, Torello Lotti,

Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Diseases

Vitiligo can be treated using traditional, new and experimental therapies, and newly available treatments can be divided into medical, physical and surgical types. Medical treatments include topical corticosteroids and other topical treatments, such as antioxidants, tacrolimus and pimecrolimus, prostaglandin E and vitamin D derivates. Physical therapies include narrow-band UVB light (NB-UVB), NB-UVB microphototherapy, NB-UVB excimer laser and monochromatic excimer light. All can be safely used in children. NB-UVB is recommended for generalized vitiligo, while the others are indicated in patients affected by segmental and bilateral symmetrical vitiligo with a cutaneous involvement of less than 20%. They enable drastic reduction of the total dose of radiation, even though they preserve a potential long-term carcinogenic risk that has to be considered in this type of patient. Surgical therapies are reserved for adolescent or adult patients with a stable vitiligo.