The 308-nm xenon chloride excimer laser in combination with topical calcipotriol in the treatment of vitiligo

Vit i l igo i s an acquired depigmentat ion disorder of the skin in which there is loss of epidermal melanocytes. The prevalence of vitiligo is approximately 0.1-2% worldwide. The precise pathogenesis of vitiligo remains subtle and is probably multifactorial 1. Treatment of vitiligo remains an interesting topic and many centers have been reported as having varying degrees of success. Medical therapies such as corticostroids, phototherapy such as PUVA, UVB and excimer laser, vitamin D3 analogs, new topical immunosuppressors such as tacrolimus and pimecrolimus and more aggressive treatment such as cultured and noncultured melanocyte transplantation have been used for treatment. It has been proved in several studies that 308 nm excimer laser and topical calcipotriol are both effective in repigmentation of vitiligo as monotherapy 2,3,4. Vitamin D 3 compounds are known to influence melanocyte maturation and differentiation and also up-regulate melanogenesis through pathways activated by specific ligand receptors, such as endothelin receptor and c-kit. Therefore, they could affect melanogenesis and be useful in vitiligo treatment 5. The excimer lasers are a group of lasers that have found extensive application in various medical fields including dermatology. These lasers function in the ultraviolet range, and examples include the 193 nm argon-fluroide, 248 nm krypton-fluoride, 351 nm xenon-fluoride, and of particular interest to dermatology, the 308 nm xenon-chloride. They were first used in medicine for their capacity to generate cold tissue ablation, but more lately Iran J Dermatol 2011; 14: 12-15