UVA1 Laser in the Treatment of Vitiligo

Blue light-emitting diodes for the treatment of localized vitiligo: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Vitiligo is an autoimmune dermatological disease characterized by hypopigmented macules. Treatments include topical agents, phototherapy, and laser therapies. Different lasers should be individually chosen regarding location, extent, activity of the disease.

AIMS

This article aims to demonstrate how blue LED is effective and safe, as its wavelength is very close to the UV spectrum (415 nm vs. 400 nm), but, unlike UV therapy, blue LED have not shown any long-term cancerogenic side effects.

PATIENTS/METHODS

We treated 30 patients affected by vitiligo localized on different anatomical areas with blue light-emitting diodes.

RESULTS

Complete repigmentation occurred in 75.33% of treated patients (22 out of 30 patients, 14 males, and 8 females). Partial repigmentation occurred in the remaining patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Blue LED light may be a safe and well-tolerated way to induce repigmentation in patients affected by vitiligo.

Emerging Skin Toxicities in Patients with Breast Cancer Treated with New Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4/6 Inhibitors: A Systematic Review

Three cyclin-dependent kinases 4/6, including palbociclib, ribociclib, and abemaciclib, have been approved for the treatment of patients with hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative advanced breast cancer. The objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence and clinical spectrum of cutaneous adverse events in patients with breast cancer following therapy with cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors. A systematic literature search was performed in the PubMed, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases up to November 2020 to evaluate studies published from 2015 to 2020. Articles were selected by title, abstract, and full text as required. In addition, a manual search was performed from among the references of articles included. Forty-one articles were included with a total of 13 reported dermatologic reactions including alopecia, bullous skin rash, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, radiation recall and radiation dermatitis, Henoch-Schonlein purpura, cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis, subacute and chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus, histiocytoid Sweet syndrome, vitiligo-like lesions, and erythema dyschromicum perstans. Skin toxicity is an important issue because it usually affects a patient's quality of life and could lead to a discontinuation of therapies; therefore, it is of fundamental importance to recognize and adequately manage the adverse skin reactions associated with these types of drugs.

Emerging drugs for the treatment of vitiligo

Introduction: Vitiligo is a relatively common autoimmune depigmenting disorder of the skin. There has been a great advance in understanding the pathological basis, which has led to the development and utilization of various new molecules in treating vitiligo. This review aims at a comprehensively describing the treatments available and the emerging treatment aspects and the scope for future developments.Areas covered: This study comprehensively summarizes the current concepts in the pathogenesis of vitiligo with special focus on the cytokine and signaling pathways, which are the targets for newer drugs. JAK kinase signaling pathways and the cytokines involved are the focus of vitiligo treatment in current research, followed by antioxidant mechanisms and repigmenting mechanisms. Topical immunosuppressants may be an alternative to steroids in localized vitiligo. Newer repigmenting agents like basic fibroblast growth factors, afamelanotide have been included and a special emphasis is laid on the upcoming targeted immunotherapy.Expert opinion: The treatment of vitiligo needs to be multimodal with emphasis on targeting different limbs of the pathogenesis. Topical and oral JAK inhibitors are the most promising new class of drugs currently available for treating vitiligo and acts best in conjunction with NB-UVB.

An Innovative Therapeutic Protocol for Vitiligo: Experience with the Use of Fraxel Herbium Laser, Topical Latanoprost and Successive Irradiation with UVA - 1 Laser

Despite the continuous introduction of innovative therapies for vitiligo, today none of them provide constant and excellent results in term of repigmentation. The authors report their experience in treating a localised form of vitiligo with a new protocol consisting in the use of a Fraxel Herbium laser, and in the following application of topical Latanoprost solution and, one day after, in lesional irradiation with UVA1 laser.