Clinical effects of dihydroxyacetone solution for vitiligo patients

Background: Vitiligo is a common, acquired, progressive depigmenting disorder. It is not physically destructive, however often leaves patients visibly disfigured by uneven color of the exposed areas such as the face or hands, especially in colored races. Most treatment protocols for vitiligo usually require a long treatment duration and do not result in complete repigmentation. Therefore, cosmetically-acceptable and easily-usable alternatives are needed. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical effects of dihydroxyacetone (DHA) solution for Korean vitiligo patients. Methods: Thirty eight patients were treated with DHA, who suffered from vitiligo affecting the face, hands, trunk and thighs. They were instructed to apply DHA once every other day. Thereafter, the number of applications and intervals were adjusted according to the status of coloring. We surveyed the grade of subjective satisfaction, and also measured the L*, a* and b* values of normal skin, vitiligo lesion, DHA-applied site (n=10) and autologous suction blister graft site (n=6) and compared color difference between those areas using the Minolta Chromoameter gap (Minolta, Ramsey, New Jersey, USA). Results: The characteristic pigmentation showed an acceptable cosmetic improvement in 27 of the 38 patients after 4-6 weeks of treatment. L* value was improved after DHA application, while a* and b* values showed more discrepancy than normal skin color. As a whole, the color difference between normal skin and vitiligo lesion was decreased after DHA application. Conclusion: The results suggest that DHA could be used for Korean vitiligo patients as an additional option for cosmetic correction.