Topically administered fluorouracil in vitiligo

In 28 patients with vitiligo, 5% fluorouracil cream was applied daily to vitiliginous lesions under occlusive dressings, following an epidermal abrasion on the first day. The treated lesions became completely eroded after seven to nine days of treatment at which time treatment was stopped. Epithelialization then occurred within ten days. Repigmentation first began one to two weeks after epithelialization and occurred in all the treated lesions within two months. Eighteen (64%) of the 28 patients showed complete or almost complete repigmentation in all treated spots and five patients (18%) showed partial repigmentation. The remaining five patients (18%), including two patients with segmental vitiligo, showed no response. Of 23 patients who showed complete or partial repigmentation, three patients had recurrence of vitiligo within one year. No systemic toxicity was observed in this series of patients.