Enhancing Repigmentation in Vitiligo: A Comparative Clinical Trial of Microneedling with Topical 5-Fluorouracil, Fluocinolone, and Microneedling Alone.

Abstract

Background: Vitiligo, a pigmentary skin disorder, poses therapeutic challenges due to its progressive nature and varied treatment responses. We aimed to investigate the efficacy of a novel approach, combining microneedling with topical 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), compared with microneedling with Fluocinolone and microneedling alone for treating vitiligo lesions.

Methods: A single-blinded clinical trial was conducted from Aug 2022 to Feb 2023 at Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. Twenty patients with persistent vitiligo lesions were randomly assigned to three treatment groups. Microneedling was performed using Dermapen cartridge 36 once a week for 12 wk. In patch A, 5% 5-FU cream was applied immediately after microneedling; in patch B, patients used fluocinolone 0.025% cream twice daily; and in patch C, microneedling was performed alone. Clinical repigmentation was evaluated using the G-score scale, and treatment side effects were recorded.

Results: Microneedling combined with 5-FU demonstrated significantly higher repigmentation rates, with 70% of lesions showing moderate to excellent responses (P<0.001). In contrast, microneedling with Fluocinolone and microneedling alone exhibited lower response frequencies. Side effects were minimal, with only one patient experiencing burning and itching in the microneedling and 5-FU group. No corticosteroid-related complications were observed. Six months follow-up revealed sustained repigmentation in the microneedling and 5-FU group, contrasting with no response or recurrence in microneedling alone-treated lesions.

Conclusion: Microneedling combined with topical 5-FU presents a promising therapeutic strategy for vitiligo lesions, yielding superior repigmentation outcomes compared to other treatments.