Who should consider a melanocyte transplant?
Melanocyte transplantation is NOT first-line therapy for vitiligo. Before attempting transplantation you should have either: • Tried and failed standard medical therapies for vitiligo including at least a full course of topical steroids and ultraviolet light therapy, or • Have patches of vitiligo larger than a quarter that contain only depigmented hairs. As with most surgical procedures, you should be in good physical health for optimal outcome. Your vitiligo MUST be stable. That means that you should not have seen any new or expanding areas of vitiligo for at least one year prior to the procedure. If you have active vitiligo, the chances for a successful transplant are unlikely. You should have relatively small areas of depigmentation to be treated. Large areas are not easily treated and often require several treatments for complete coverage. You should not have any problem with wound healing or abnormal scar formation such as keloid-type scars. You should not have clinically atypical
