Vitiligo lecture in Health Kyunghyang: "Understanding it opens the path to treatment"

Dr. Jung Min Bae, Korean Association of Dermatologists spring conference lecture: directions in vitiligo treatment from early tailored therapy and real clinical experience

Dr. Jung Min Bae of Heal House Gangnam Branch gave a lecture on early tailored treatment at the 28th spring conference of the Korean Association of Dermatologists, and the event was covered by Health Kyunghyang. It was a gathering where dermatologists shared the latest clinical experience and treatment strategies.

The lecture proceeded by answering seven pre-submitted questions with real clinical cases. On that day, Director Bae emphasized that vitiligo is not a disease that can be approached with a single treatment method. The treatment plan must differ depending on the location of the lesions, the pattern of progression, and the associated skin conditions.

Indeed, vitiligo responds differently to treatment and requires different approaches depending on the affected area, such as the face, scalp, hands and feet, or the whole body. Accordingly, the lecture introduced several methods—topical agents, systemic phototherapy, and laser therapy—and explained the importance of establishing a strategy tailored to the patient's skin condition and lesion characteristics. It also noted that, as treatment options have become more diverse than in the past, the earlier treatment is started, the better the expected outcomes.

Practical situations encountered during treatment were also addressed: hyperpigmentation that may occur after excimer laser treatment, cases with concurrent melasma, situations where anti-aging procedures should also be considered, and nutritional management and dietary therapy. The clinical experience conveyed was that overall treatment process must be examined together to improve adherence and satisfaction.

The Koebner phenomenon, which vitiligo patients may benefit from knowing, was also explained. Repeated friction or trauma can cause new lesions to appear or existing lesions to enlarge in the affected area. Therefore, the explanation emphasized the importance of minimizing skin irritation in daily life and protecting areas of injury.

Vitiligo is a disease for which the more you know, the clearer the path to treatment becomes. Heal House will continue to share the experience gained in clinical settings and together broaden that path.