Is vitiligo treatable?

Yes. Vitiligo repigments in small part from the border and mostly from the hair follicle. Localized vitiligo may be treated with high-potency topical steroids, topical tacrolimus and pimecrolimus, as well as topical calcipotriene. For more generalized vitiligo, narrow-band ultraviolet light B (UVB, 311 nm) is now the treatment of choice. It must be administered 2 to 3 times weekly for many months. All patients with vitiligo should use sunscreens to protect depigmented skin from sun damage.

Lotti T, Buggiani G, Troiano M, et al: Targeted and combination treatments for vitiligo. Comparative evaluation of different current modalities in 458 subjects, Dermatol Ther 21(Suppl 1):S20–S26, 2008.