How effective is melanocyte transplant for vitiligo?

The procedure moves pigment-producing cells from a donor area of your skin to a depigmented vitiligo area. It is generally considered when patches have been stable and suitable for surgery. The treated site may need time and sometimes light-based therapy to develop colour. Hands, feet, lips, and areas with repeated friction can be harder to repigment than some other sites.

A dermatologist or surgical dermatologist will assess whether vitiligo is stable, choose a donor and recipient site, and explain wound care. Protect both areas as instructed, avoid picking healing skin, and attend follow-up visits so colour development and graft healing can be assessed. Active or changing patches may need medical control before surgery is considered.

Contact the treatment team for increasing pain, spreading redness, discharge, fever, or wound separation. Ask for review if the grafted area develops persistent irritation, thick scarring, or no visible pigment change after the expected healing period.

Ask whether your vitiligo is stable, how the donor skin will be chosen, what aftercare or light therapy is planned, and how an uneven colour response would be managed.