Punch grafting for lip leucoderma.

BACKGROUND

Lip leucoderma (LL) is a common concern of great psychological scarring. The condition is often resistant to medical management due mainly to the absence of hair follicles. Melanocyte transfer, therefore, by any surgical procedure may repigment this condition.

OBJECTIVE

To repigment LL by punch graft (PG) and to estimate and evaluate the degree of repigmentation and its complications.

METHODS

One hundred and eight cases of stable and resistant LL of various causes were studied. They were followed up to a maximum of 5 years.

RESULTS

Graft take was achieved in 98 cases (91%) whereas all the grafts were rejected in 8 cases of herpes-labialis-induced LL (HlLL). Two cases (1.5%) showed depigmentation of grafts. Cobblestoning was the most common complication and was observed in 32 cases (30%). Complete repigmentation was achieved in 78 cases (72%).

CONCLUSION

PG is a simple office procedure to treat LL. The procedure should exclude HILL.