Comparison of the Clinical Effectiveness of Excimer Lamp and Laser for Vitiligo: A Randomized Trial

Abstract

308 nm excimer laser and the 308 nm excimer lamp have demonstrated effectiveness in the treatment of vitiligo, but a direct comparison of their effectiveness has never been made. The purpose of the work is to evaluate the effectiveness of excimer laser and lamp phototherapy for the treatment of limited forms of vitiligo. A randomized study was conducted . One lesion was treated with a 308 nm excimer laser , and the other symmetrical lesion was treated with a 308 nm excimer lamp . The lesions were treated 3 times a week with equal doses on both sides for 20 procedures. The evaluation was carried out by two independent groups of dermatologists who were blinded to the treatment, using photographs under normal light and using a Wood's lamp. The study included 50 patients, 100 lesions were treated - 2 lesions in each patient. Both treatments showed similar results in terms of repigmentation efficiency of at least 50% ( p = 0.006). The excimer lamp and the 308 nm excimer laser have shown similar efficacy in the treatment of vitiligo. At the same fluence, the lamp produces more pronounced erythema, indicating photobiological differences between the two devices.