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Vitiligo: an update on systemic treatments
Author(s) -
Searle T.,
AlNiaimi F.,
Ali F. R.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
clinical and experimental dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1365-2230
pISSN - 0307-6938
DOI - 10.1111/ced.14435
Subject(s) - vitiligo , medicine , dermatology , calcineurin , methotrexate , tacrolimus , systemic therapy , psoriasis , minocycline , ciclosporin , disease , psychosocial , puva therapy , immunology , surgery , chemotherapy , transplantation , cancer , breast cancer , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , antibiotics , psychiatry
Summary Vitiligo is an autoimmune skin condition characterized by depigmented macules and patches, and has a huge psychosocial impact on patients. Treatment of vitiligo aims to prevent the spread of disease and facilitate repigmentation of affected lesions. The mainstay of treatment for unstable vitiligo has been topical agents (corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors) and phototherapy. However, systemic treatments are increasingly being shown to have a significant impact on the course of the disease as monotherapy or adjunctive therapy. Of note, oral mini‐pulsed corticosteroid therapy, methotrexate, minocycline, ciclosporin, Janus kinase inhibitors and certain supplements have been used in the systemic treatment of vitiligo. We review the underlying evidence supporting the use of each of these systemic treatments.