Segmental Vitiligo: Characteristics, Treatment, and Prognosis

    January 2019 in “ Springer eBooks
    Seung Kyung Hann, Hsin‐Su Yu, Cheng‐Che E. Lan, Ching‐Shuang Wu, Yvon Gauthier, Laïla Benzekri, Alain Taı̈eb
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    Studysummary This review discusses segmental vitiligo as part of the vitiligo clinical spectrum and highlights its role as a model for studying repigmentation, but reports no new clinical results.
    Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer
    The document from 2019 examines Segmental Vitiligo (SV), a stable form of vitiligo characterized by early onset, rapid segmental spread, and often involving hair follicle melanocytes. It suggests that SV may share inflammatory features with nonsegmental vitiligo (NSV) and could be influenced by neurogenic factors, particularly the sympathetic nervous system. SV is considered an ideal model for studying repigmentation due to its stability and limited active melanocyte loss. The document reports that SV typically presents as a single lesion, with the head being the most common site, and is not strongly associated with other autoimmune diseases. Poliosis, or hair depigmentation, is more specific to SV, affecting about half of the cases. Treatment options for SV include phototherapy, with Narrowband UVB (NBUVB) therapy being more effective than PUVA, and topical agents like tacrolimus ointment. Early aggressive medical treatment is recommended, and stable SV with leukotrichia can be treated with epidermal grafting and UV therapy. The prognosis for early-stage SV is excellent.
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