Seyed Mohhamed Radmanesh
Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Iran
Title: The melanocytes of different body areas have different susceptibility for vitiligo involvement
Biography
Biography: Seyed Mohhamed Radmanesh
Abstract
Monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone is a melanocytotoxic drug which is used for depigmentation of normally pigmented patches in extensive and generalized vitiligo. Cases have been reported that following application of MBEH depigmention has developed in remote areas not directly in contact with MBEH. The term chemical vitiligo has been applied to this situation. I visited four patients who developed generalized vitiligo after using MBEH for the treatment of intractable melasma. The lesions were started first as mottled depigmented patches on the face, where the MBEH was applied for a long time followed by development of vitiligo patches on the fingers, dorsum of the hands and forearm and then extended to other areas. The MBEH was reported to induce some immunological changes through which it may exert its melanocytotoxic activities. These melanocytotoxic activities may be used as an alternative therapy for melanomas. This finding supports the theory that not all vitiligos are inherited immune-genetic in nature, some may develop as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals such as MBEH or other unknown chemicals. These melanocytotoxic chemicals may exert their effects through changing the immunological profile of the tissue and subsequent death of melanocytes and vitiligo development.