Punch Graft Versus Follicular Hair Transplantation in the Treatment of Stable Vitiligo

In a 2017 study involving 32 patients with stable vitiligo, researchers compared the effectiveness of punch grafting (PG) and follicular hair transplantation (FG) followed by excimer light therapy. The study found that punch grafting resulted in faster and more extensive repigmentation, with an average onset of 2.5 weeks postoperatively, compared to 5.2 weeks for follicular hair transplantation. However, 90% of patients treated with punch grafting experienced a cobblestone appearance as a complication. In contrast, follicular hair transplantation, which had no reported side effects, was deemed cosmetically preferable, particularly for visible areas such as the face. Despite punch grafting showing a higher percentage of vitiligo improvement, follicular hair transplantation was more effective overall, with 59.4% of patients achieving over 75% improvement, compared to none in the punch grafting group.