Blister Grafting
The most common types of vitiligo treatments are phototherapy and medication, but blister grafting is a newer option that can give patients more control over their treatment. Non-toxic blister grafting combines a light-sensitive chemical with the patient’s skin cells and then applies the material to the affected areas.
Blister grafting simply means creating blisters on the patient’s body and then applying the tissue from those blisters onto the affected areas. This process can take several weeks because creating a blister requires time to build up enough cells to create new skin.
Blister grafting is done by taking a biopsy of some intact skin and using that to create a blister on the patient’s body. Once it’s ready, a dermatologist will open the blister, remove its insides, and scrape off any dead or damaged tissue. The material left over will be combined with the patient’s skin cells to strengthen and prepare it for transplantation. Then, it will be placed over an area where vitiligo has left behind some pigment-free skin.
Blister grafts are an appealing option for some patients who don’t want to wear protective clothing and sunscreen daily or stand under intense light sources.
