Pigmentation and hypopigmentation: Vitiligo and other disorders

Abstract

Lasers and light-emitting devices have now taken a key role in the treatment of vitiligo and hypomelanosis. Q-switched depigmenting lasers can be used to treat the residual pigmented spots in the generalized forms of vitiligo. Ablative lasers bring a rapid and reproductive tool to prepare the grafting bed for the segmental and localized forms of vitiligo or for inherited hypochromic disorders such as piebaldism. The 308-nm excimer lasers and lamps are clearly the devices that brought the more progresses for taking in charge hypochromic disorders. With higher rates of repigmentation as compared to conventional phototherapy and with a specific targeting of the lesions sparing the surrounding skin, their main limitation remains the surface to treat. Finally, new wavelengths will certainly be used in the near future to enhance repigmentation. The 632.8-nm helium-neon laser has already brought encouraging results that are worthy of further study. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.