The efficacy of 308-nm excimer laser monotherapy versus combined with topical bimatoprost 0.03% solution for the treatment of facial vitiligo

Vitiligo is a commonly acquired autoimmune pigmentary disorder. Some patients are resistant to conventional treatments, leading to the search for combination therapies. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of 308-nm excimer laser monotherapy versus combined treatment with topical bimatoprost 0.03% in patients with vitiligo on the face. This study was conducted on patients with facial vitiligo referred to a hospital in Tehran, Iran. The study included 38 patients who were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (18 patients) or the control group (20 patients). Both groups received treatment with a 308-nm excimer laser twice a week for 15 weeks. In addition, the intervention group received treatment with bimatoprost 0.03% solution once daily for 15 weeks. The patients were visited at the end of every 5 weeks and after the 15th week. The efficacy of the treatments using the scale for assessment of improvement, visual analog scale satisfaction (VASS), and visual analog scale improvement (VASI) were evaluated. The study also evaluated the side effects of treatment. The average scores for the measures over time indicated that VASI scores after the 30th treatment session (P = 0.04), VASS scores after the 20th session (P = 0.04) and 30th session (P = 0.03), and SAI scores after the 30th session (P = 0.03) were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group. The addition of bimatoprost 0.03% to the treatment regimen may improve the outcomes of patients with facial vitiligo who are resistant to conventional treatments.