Phototherapy with Topical Minoxidil in Vitiligo: A Randomized Controlled Trial

    August 2025 in “ Indian Dermatology Online Journal ”
    Sejal Bajoria, Chakravarthi R. Srinivas, Nithya Satish, Riya Sukhija, Kriti Jain, Garima Manocha, Laxman Besra
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    TLDR Combining minoxidil with phototherapy improves vitiligo treatment better than phototherapy alone.
    This randomized controlled trial with 30 patients found that combining topical minoxidil 5% solution with narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) phototherapy significantly improved vitiligo treatment outcomes compared to NB-UVB alone. The minoxidil group showed a notable reduction in the Vitiligo Area Severity Index (VASI) from 94% at baseline to 47.76% at 12 weeks, while the placebo group only reduced to 67.93% (P < 0.01). Both Physician and Patient Global Assessment Scores indicated significant improvement in the minoxidil group. Although perifollicular repigmentation was more common in the minoxidil group, the difference was not statistically significant. The study suggests that minoxidil may enhance repigmentation due to its vasodilatory effects and influence on the anagen phase of hair growth. Despite promising results, the study's small sample size and short 12-week follow-up period are limitations, and further research with larger samples and longer follow-up is recommended.
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