Treatment of localized vitiligo by autologous minigrafting.

Autologous minigrafting has been reported as an effective method for repigmenting diverse types of stable leukoderma. A group of 22 patients with localized vitiligo, 17 segmental and five focal, who are under treatment with this method, are described. Thirteen patients attained a 90% to 100% repigmentation, two others achieved a partial improvement, and five patients had a positive test area indicating the possibility of repigmentation by means of this procedure. Only two patients had a negative test with minigrafts and, consequently, they were left untreated. Autologous minigrafting is suggested as an alternative for treating localized vitiligo, particularly when other medical therapeutic attempts have failed in repigmenting this often refractory condition.