title: Suction blister epidermal grafts combined with CO2 laser superficial ablation as a good method for treating small-sized vitiligo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the availability of various new methods to treat vitiligo, surgical methods offer rapid, simple, and safe ways for treating small-sized vitiligo.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy in treating vitiligo using suction blister epidermal grafting (SBEG) combined with CO2 laser epidermal ablation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients with small, stable vitiligo were treated using SBEG combined with CO2 laser epidermal ablation and followed up for at least 6 months and up to 10 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment outcomes were excellent for 32 patients (80%), good for four patients (10%), fair for three patients (7.5%), and poor for one patient (2.5%). No scar formation was observed in any patients. Location of the lesions was probably the most important factor in determining the outcomes of transplantation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that SBEG combined with CO2 laser ablation is a rapid, simple, and safe method to treat vitiligo, especially for patients with small and stable vitiliginous lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Show-Chwan Memorial Hospital, Chang-Hua, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wang-Cheng
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Yu-Fu
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001768:Blister; D002648:Child; D004817:Epidermis; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation; D054020:Lasers, Gas; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult