Evaluation of the Efficacy of Transdermal Drug Delivery of Calcipotriol Plus Betamethasone Versus Tacrolimus in the Treatment of Vitiligo

In a study of 25 patients with vitiligo, the effectiveness of transdermal drug delivery of calcipotriol plus betamethasone with microneedling was compared to tacrolimus with microneedling. The study, which lasted 6 months with a 3-month follow-up, showed that the side treated with calcipotriol plus betamethasone (side A) had a significantly higher mean percentage of improvement (72.16%) than the side treated with tacrolimus (side B), which showed a 54.16% improvement. Additionally, 60% of patients on side A experienced excellent improvement compared to 32% on side B. Histopathological examination supported these findings, showing greater expression of the melanocyte marker HMB45 on side A. The study concluded that microneedling with calcipotriol plus betamethasone is more effective than with tacrolimus in treating vitiligo, especially in resistant areas, and is a safe, affordable, and well-tolerated treatment with minimal side effects.