PUVA therapy has long been used to treat psoriasis vulgaris, and, in 1999, narrow-band UVB was introduced for various skin diseases in Japan. Although narrow-band UVB and suction blister treatment are commonly used to treat vitiligo vulgaris, we have experienced refractory cases in which the response to these modalities is relatively poor. In this study, autologous miniature punch grafting (1mm) was performed in 5 patients with segmental vitiligo, 4 with disseminated vitiligo, and 1 with localized vitiligo. Pigmentation was regained in an average of 62% of those with segmental vitiligo within 2 to 7 months and in 17.5% of those with disseminated vitiligo within 4 to 10 months. Our findings suggest that autologous miniature punch grafting should be considered for the treatment of segmental vitiligo, because it does not require postoperative rest or cause scar formation.
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