Comparative study between combined follicular and epidermal cell suspension versus epidermal cell suspension in treatment of stable vitiligo

Recent developments in the treatment of vitiligo focus on minimizing adverse effects while also reducing the overall treatment duration. This work aimed to compare the advantages and limitations of epidermal cell transplantation versus combined epidermal and follicular cell transplantation in the treatment of stable vitiligo. This study was conducted on 20 vitiligo patients, aged between 15 and 50 years, all of whom presented with symmetrical lesions. The first lesion was treated with epidermal cell suspension (ECS), while the second lesion received a combined treatment of ECS and follicular cell suspension (FCS). The third lesion served as the control. A notable improvement in pigmentation was observed in the combined treatment group compared to the epidermal treatment group. Control patches exhibited resistance to NB-UVB therapy, showing minimal improvement and a slight reduction in depigmentation, in contrast to the treated patches. A significant correlation was found between the site of vitiligo, the tensity stages of the vitiligo extent tensity index (VETI) score after treatment, and the percentage of improvement (P < 0.05). Additionally, a significant relationship was observed between the vitiligo area severity index score and the tensity stages of the VETI score after treatment, as well as the percentage of improvement (P < 0.05). The combination of ECS and FCS as an innovative approach in vitiligo surgery, achieving good to excellent repigmentation within a short period. This method also ensures a favorable color match, even in cases of vitiligo that are typically resistant to treatment.