The Usefulness of Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) for the Treatment of Vitiligo: State of the Art and Review

Abstract

Introduction

Vitiligo is an acquired, idiopathic disorder clinically characterized by amelanotic lesions on the skin which cause significant impairment of patients’ quality of life. A variety of treatments have been proposed, with inconsistent results. In the last decades, the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is receiving increasing interest as a potential effective technique in the treatment of several dermatological diseases, including vitiligo.

Objective

We conducted a review with the aim to identify studies that documented the use of PRP for vitiligo.

Materials and Methods

Electronic databases of MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) from inception to November 2019 have been searched using different combinations of the following terms: “platelet-rich plasma”, “platelet gel”, “platelet-rich fibrin”, “PRP” and “vitiligo”.

Results

We identified 6 clinical studies consistent with our research, with a total of 253 patients, listing and discussing the obtained results. In all reports, all treated patients showed a stable vitiligo, and a significantly higher improvement in the PRP groups was always observed compared to control groups. Regarding the side effects, PRP in vitiligo patients is useful and without important side effects.

Conclusion

PRP is a promising treatment for stable vitiligo lesions in different body sites. The possible use of PRP in combination with traditional therapeutic options and the standardization of processing protocols represents a very fertile field for future research. Larger clinical trials with longer time of observation would provide solid evidence regarding the effectiveness of PRP for the treatment of vitiligo.

Keywords:

• vitiligo
• skin
• platlet rich plasma
• PRP
• treatment

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Mrs Giada Moffa and Mrs Caterina Prezioso for their significant contribution to this paper.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.