Childhood facial vitiligo: how intractable is it?

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Pediatrics
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Reactive oxygen species are implicated in vitiligo pathogenesis.
• Vitamins, folic acid, and antioxidants are proposed as adjuvant therapies for vitiligo.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the long-term outcomes of childhood facial vitiligo.
• Evaluate treatment efficacy using nutritional education, vitamin E, folic acid, multivitamins, and antioxidant cosmetics.
• Compare outcomes with conventional therapies like corticosteroids, Excimer laser, and epidermal grafting.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 111 pediatric facial vitiligo patients followed for over 1 year.
• Data extracted from electronic medical records (March 2003 - June 2013).
• Photographic evaluation and final visual outcome assessment were conducted.

Main Results:

• 91% of patients showed improvement in vitiligo lesions.
• 33.3% achieved >75% lesion improvement; 18% achieved 50%-75% improvement.
• Final visual assessments: 42.3% 'Looking excellent', 30.6% 'looking very good', 17.1% 'looking good'.

Conclusions:

• Childhood facial vitiligo, though often refractory, has a favorable long-term prognosis.
• Conventional vitiligo treatments combined with nutritional regimens yield positive outcomes.
• Nutritional support plays a key role in managing pediatric facial vitiligo.