Heal House Vitiligo Research 44 · Letter
What patterns does segmental vitiligo show and what is its recurrence rate?
Classification of facial and truncal segmental vitiligo and its clinical courses including recurrence rate and patterns: a retrospective review of 956 patients.
Last reviewed
In short
Segmental vitiligo, which appears as a band on one side, was categorized by the shape of its occurrence on the face and trunk, and recurrences after treatment were summarized.
Even within vitiligo, there is a common form that spreads symmetrically across various parts of the body. On the other hand, there is also a "segmental" type that appears only on one side, like a band. Segmental vitiligo usually starts at a young age, grows rapidly, and then stops, so its course is quite different. Therefore, the treatment strategy must also be set differently. However, there have not been many large-scale studies summarizing the patterns of this segmental type on the face and trunk, or how often it recurs after treatment. So in this study, in which I participated as a co-investigator, we reviewed 956 cases and mapped out the patterns and course by type.
Q1 How is segmental vitiligo different from other types of vitiligo?
Segmental vitiligo is a form that appears as a band or zone on one side of the body. It differs from the common non-segmental type that spreads to both sides. Segmental vitiligo usually starts on one side at an early age, tends to grow to a certain extent, and then stops. We reviewed 956 cases of segmental vitiligo on the face and trunk. We classified the lesions by location and pattern, and examined how recurrence occurs after treatment. Knowing these patterns in advance can help predict how far the lesions will spread in the future. It also helps in planning the scope of treatments such as surgery. Even though all white spots may look the same on the surface, classifying them by type is the first step in establishing a treatment strategy.
Closing remarks
Segmental vitiligo has a different course from common vitiligo. Simply knowing its patterns and recurrence aspects in advance makes the treatment plan much clearer. Especially when considering surgery to transplant pigment cells, accurately determining the extent of the lesion greatly influences the outcome. Thanks to the large-scale cases being organized into a pattern map, I am now able to discuss and map out the future together with patients in the clinic.
