Efficacy and safety of excimer light versus excimer light and 50% trichloroacetic acid in treatment of vitiligo: a clinical trial

Background and aim Vitiligo is a commonly acquired depigmenting disease described by continuing damage of melanocytes. The treatment of vitiligo is a general challenge. Excimer light has been used previously in the treatment of vitiligo. So this clinical trial aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of 308 nm monochromatic excimer light alone versus 308 nm monochromatic excimer light plus 50% trichloroacetic acid (TCA) in the treatment of vitiligo. Patients and methods This clinical trial was carried out on 50 patients with stable vitiligo (diagnosis confirmed with Wood’s light examination). Two patches of vitiligo were chosen in the same patient; one patch was treated with 50% TCA and excimer light, and the other patch was treated with excimer light alone. Results There was a significant reduction in the surface area of the vitiligo lesion in all patients. However, there was more reduction in the surface area of the lesions, as well as an increase in the number of patients with marked repigmentation among lesions treated with excimer light plus TCA. Moreover, patients gave a higher degree of satisfaction to the areas treated with excimer light plus TCA as compared to areas treated with excimer light alone. Conclusion The combination of excimer light plus TCA could be an effective and safe favorable treatment for vitiligo.