TACROLIMUS FOR VITILIGO

Laser therapy and tacrolimus ointment best for vitiligoPatients with vitiligo, a skin disorder characterized by patches of white, or de-pigmented skin, had better repigmentation of these patches when they were treated with a combination of laser therapy and tacrolimus ointment than patients treated with laser therapy alone, according to an article in the September issue of The Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. For each patient, four to ten lesions were chosen and treated twice a week with the 308-nm excimer laser for a total of 24 sessions. Topical 0.1 percent tacrolimus ointment was applied twice daily to target lesions for patients in group A (excimer laser plus tacrolimus). Patients in group B received only the laser treatments. Treated lesions were compared with control lesions (that received no treatment) on the opposite side of the body. Forty-three lesions were treated (23 in group A and 20 in group B).