Evaluation of the efficacy of transdermal drug delivery of calcipotriol plus betamethasone versus tacrolimus in the treatment of vitiligo

Summary Background Vitiligo is a common pigmentary disorder affecting about 1% of the general population. There are numerous medical and surgical treatments. Microneedling is an evolving treatment technique for an expanding number of dermatologic conditions. It is used also to augment transdermal drug delivery through pores created in the stratum corneum. Aim To evaluate the efficacy of microneedling with tacrolimus versus its efficacy with calcipotriol plus betamethasone in vitiligo treatment. Methods Twenty‐five patients having vitiligo were selected and their symmetrical patches were divided into side A (right side) which received microneedling with dermapen and topical calcipotriol plus betamethasone and side B (left side) which received microneedling and topical tacrolimus. Every patient received a session every 2 weeks for a maximum 6 months (12 sessions) and follow‐up for 3 months. Skin biopsies were taken before and after the treatment to evaluate the clinical results. Results On side A, 60% of the patients showed excellent improvement while 32% showed excellent response on side B. The mean percentage of improvement was significantly higher on side A than side B (P = 0.017*). It was effective in the most resistant sites of vitiligo such as: elbows, knees, extremities, and acral area. Histopathological examination showed a significant expression of HMB45 on side A more than side B (P = 0.005*). Conclusion The combination of microneedling with calcipotriol plus betamethasone is more effective than its combination with tacrolimus. They are both effective in resistant sites. Both methods are safe, cheap, and good tolerated office techniques with minimal side effects.