COMPARISON BETWEEN DIFFERENT TYPES OF PHOTOTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF VITILIGO

Abstract

Vitiligo is a chronic condition of loss of skin pigmentation that significantly affects the quality of life of patients. Phototherapy is one of the most effective therapeutic approaches for the treatment of vitiligo, with modalities such as narrow-band UVB (nbUVB), PUVA (psoralen and UVA) and excimer laser widely used. This integrative review analyzed and compared the efficacy and safety of these phototherapy modalities. The results indicate that nbUVB is the most balanced option in terms of efficacy and safety for most patients, promoting a high rate of repigmentation with a low adverse effect profile. PUVA, although effective, has limitations related to safety, especially with prolonged use. Excimer laser has been shown to be highly effective for localized and resistant lesions, but its applicability in generalized cases of vitiligo is limited. The choice of phototherapy modality should be individualized, considering the characteristics of the lesions, tolerance to treatment and patient preferences. Future long-term studies are needed to deepen the understanding of the effects of these therapies and optimize the clinical management of vitiligo.