The new approach to treat vitiligo is cellular grafting. This surgical approach is now being considered as “may be a cure”. Unfortunately, science is still not able to find a permanent cure for this condition but there are many cases where Melanocyte Cell Transplantation (MCT) Melanocyte Keratinocyte Transplant Procedure (MKTP) as Vitiligo Treatment has made wonders. The idea of MCT is to remove the top layer of pigmented skin and replace it with healthy pigment cells (melanocytes) taken from another part of the body. Within a few months, the transplanted melanocytes start making pigment and deposit it to the surrounding areas. The success of this treatment wipes away the white spots and, in many cases, it has worked like magic. Patients with successful results don’t need any standard vitiligo treatments after that. However, not everyone is the right candidate for this Treatment of Vitiligo.
A Deep Insight into Melanocyte Cell Transplantation:
Vitiligo or white spots start appearing on the skin when immune cells sneak into the skin to find melanocytes and kill them. Melanocytes are the cells that produce pigment in our skin. So killing melanocytes stops the pigment production process and skin starts to lose its color.
In this Melanocyte Cell Transplantation (MCT) treatment, new melanocytes are transferred to the affected area. But, the immune cells active in that area kill the new melanocytes too which drives failure of this Vitiligo Treatment. This treatment shows higher success rate only if the disease is stable where the immune cells are quiet and no longer destroying the melanocytes. In such condition, the new melanocytes start working and bring the original skin color back. Now, the problem is, it is very difficult to know when the disease is stable. In common practice, the Dermatologist carries out this treatment only if the patient has no lesions from last 1-2 years.
This Vitiligo Treatment appears to be excellent for, segmental vitiligo patients. As in the segmental vitiligo, the disease is limited to one portion of the body, chances of success rates appear to be higher. 80-90% of such cases have seen success and may never require further vitiligo treatment. That’s the reason why this treatment is addressed as “may be a cure” which is normally never used for any other vitiligo treatment.
In Cellular grafting or Melanocyte Cell Transplantation (MCT), the top layer of the affected area’s skin is removed and melanocytes & other skin cells from normal skin is transplanted into that area. Among all other Vitiligo Treatment procedures, cellular grafting has appeared to be the most successful one until now. In medical terms, this process is also called as Melanocyte-Keratinocyte Transplant Procedure or MKTP.
But, I know only a few centers around the world that offer this treatment. This was the biggest reason I have started offering this treatment into my own SKIN LASER CENTRE. Here, we not only offer treatment but also provide post-treatment care to ensure the complete success of this process. This procedure requires special equipment and professional training. At our center, we have experienced excellent success rate for MKTP so far. As per my opinion and experience, it is the best Vitiligo Treatment for right patients, whom we decide after a careful series of examination. This procedure is a bit costly than others and thus I suggest the treatment only to the patients who fulfill the prerequisite health conditions.
