Can microdermabrasion help with vitiligo?

Question

Or can it possibley exacerbate it? I am going to school to be an Esthetician and we are on the chapter of Microdermabrasion. I was diagnosed with Vitiligo about 3 years ago. In learning the chapter, there was a small segment that mentioned microderm could exacerbate Vitiligo. I dont want to do anything that will make it worse, it is only around my eyes on my face, but dont want it to show up anywhere else. Help?

William Ting, MD · Answer

While microdermabrasion is superficial and really has minimial adverse potential, one cannot guarantee that it would not trigger spread of vitiligo. In my years of practice, I have seen a couple cases of focal acne cystic flare leading to new areas of vitiligo. You need to weigh pros and cons of procedures and figure out your priorities.

Patricia Farris, MD · Answer

Microdermabrasion will not affect vitiligo per se. It is a superficial exfoliating procedure that will not exacerbate the process of vitiligo or cause any further depigmentation. There are a lot of good treatments for vitiligo so I would suggest you see a dermatologist and have a full evaluation. This is one condition where we have made great strides in treatment options.

Don Mehrabi, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.
Microdermabrasion removes only the very top 2-3 layers of the epidermis at most. While vigorous microdermabrasion can possibly go deeper, microdermabrasion only serves to refresh the skin and usually does not leave any severe inflammation or need for wound repair. It also does not generally have any impact of pigmentation except to possible lessen darker areas of the skin from previous inflammation. To my knowledge, there is no reason whatsoever for microdermabrasion to cause complete pigment loss or destroy melanocytes (reason for vitiligo), and thus should have no impact at all on previous areas of vitiligo.
You should be safe and feel safe with this treatment.
Good luck.

Can microdermabrasion help with vitiligo?

Answers (3)