308-nm excimer lamp vs. 308-nm excimer laser for treating vitiligo: a randomized study

Summary Background The 308‐nm excimer laser and 308‐nm excimer lamp have both been shown to be effective in treating vitiligo but a direct comparison has never been performed. Objectives To test the equivalence of these two devices for treating nonsegmental vitiligo. Patients and methods A randomized monocentric study was undertaken. One lesion was treated with the 308‐nm excimer laser and its counterpart with the 308‐nm excimer lamp. Lesions were treated twice weekly with the same dose on both sides for a total of 24 sessions. The evaluation was done by two independent physicians blinded to the treatment on direct light and ultraviolet light photos. Results Twenty patients were included: 17 completed the study and 104 lesions were treated. The two treatments showed similar results in terms of efficacy for a repigmentation of at least 50% (P = 0·006). The lamp induced more erythema than the laser. Conclusions The 308‐nm excimer lamp and laser showed a similar efficacy in treating vitiligo. For the same fluence, the lamp induced more erythema suggesting photobiological differences between the two devices.