title: Depigmentation during vitiligo activity spares epithelial grafted areas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitiligo is a depigmenting disease characterized by episodes of stability and activity without a fixed sequence, and active phases demonstrate immune attacks toward vulnerable melanocytes. Epithelial grafts were introduced to treat recalcitrant vitiligo patches aiming to provide new generations of melanocytes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of study was to evaluate the possible permanency of succeeded epithelial grafts during a coming activity episode.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 20 nonsegmental vitiligo cases. They were epithelial grafted, success was maintained with the use of UV sessions for a year, and further follow-up was allowed until new phases of activity developed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The grafted areas, in all cases, were spared during the activity episodes in spite of the development of new depigmented lesions in other parts of skin neighboring the grafted areas or in remote sites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The permanency of epithelial grafts in spite of disease reactivity is a good sign and magnifies the value of surgical approaches in management of vitiligo. New genetically different melanocytes should have been provided and were able to resist the new immune attacks in spite of the yielding of other skin melanocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Sherif Shoukry
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Awad
mesh_terms: D064592:Autografts / Q000276:immunology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004848:Epithelium / Q000637:transplantation*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000276:immunology; D011182:Postoperative Care; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: activity phases; depigmentation; epithelial grafts; immune reaction; surgical approaches; vitiligo