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Author Spotlight: Non-Surgical Treatment of Melasma– Microneedling with Tranexamic Acid
Published on: January 19, 2024
Efficacy of microneedling combined with tacrolimus versus either one alone for vitiligo treatment
Howyda M Ebrahim1, Waleed Albalate1
1Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
Background:
Combination therapies have reported to augment the repigmentation in vitiligo. Microneedling (Mn) facilitates drug delivery across the skin barrier.
Objective:
To evaluate and compare the efficacy and safety of Mn combined with tacrolimus vs Mn alone or tacrolimus 0.1% ointment for treatment of localized and stable vitiligo.
Patients And Method:
Ninety patients with vitiligo were randomized into three groups: group I received microneedling with tacrolimus, group II microneedling only both at 2 weeks interval for twelve sessions, and group III applied tacrolimus ointment 0.1% twice daily for 6 months. Skin biopsies were taken at baseline and after treatment.
Results:
The overall improvement (76.6%) was significantly higher in the combined group compared with other groups. Repigmentation was excellent in 66.6 of group I vs 33.3% in the other two groups (P .03). A highly significant improvement of the extremities was observed in the combined group than in the other groups (P < .001). A fewer number of sessions have reported in the combined group (I) than in the microneedling group (II; P < .001). Immunohistochemical results showed a significantly higher expression of HMB-45 in group I than in other two groups (P .04). Side effects were mild and tolerable in all groups.
Conclusion:
The combination group has shown promising results over the other two groups.
