Vitiligo or Leukoderma is a problem in which white marks and patches having irregular shape appear on various areas of your skin. This disorder occurs when melanocytes (cells which produce melanin pigment responsible for giving colour to your skin) are destroyed or stop functioning. It is the most common depigmenting disorder that affects approximately 0.5 to 1% of the general population regardless of race and sex.

Some forms of vitiligo can be treated with surgical approaches, like skin or cellular grafts. The idea is that the top skin layer of the white spots is removed, and healthy pigment cells (melanocytes) from another part of the body are transplanted there. After a few months, the transplanted melanocytes start working to make pigment, which deposits in the surrounding skin and the white spots disappear

Surgical Treatments

• 1) The best surgical options can be given by a Plastic or Cosmetic surgeon who is trained and has the experience for such procedures.
• 2) Melanocyte Transplantation
• 3) Melanocyte transplantation is also known as Non-cultured Melanocyte-Keratinocyte Transplantation Procedure (MKTP) is the latest modification in the surgical management of Vitiligo/Leukoderma
• 4) Skin Grafting: Thin skin samples are obtained with skin grafting knives, and transferred to affected areas after removing epidermis superficially. It uses the equal size of skin, very efficient, but associated with a colour mismatch, graft rejection, graft shrinkage, etc.
• 5) Epidermal Grafting: Blisters are produced by suction at the donor site. The roof of the blister is cut and grafted onto the affected area after scrubbing the superficial skin. The procedure does not cause any scarring but is more time consuming; blistering may be painful, and only small areas can be treated using this method
• 6) Mini grafting/Punch grafting: Small punch grafts are implanted 3mm to 4mm apart within minute holes in the Vitiligo/Leukoderma area. This is the simplest procedure, effective, but has the highest proportion of adverse effects, cobblestone effect being most common.

At Star Hospital, Udaipur Vitiligo surgery is performed by an expert Plastic & Cosmetic Surgeon with good results