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Meta-Analysis
. 2025 May;24(5):e70245.
doi: 10.1111/jocd.70245.

Efficacy and Safety of Combined Platelet-Rich Plasma With Fractional Laser for Adult Patients With Vitiligo: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Xiaowei Feng  1 , Shali Jiang  1 , Xingwei Zou  1 , Yongqiong Deng  1 , Jinwei Xie  2
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Efficacy and Safety of Combined Platelet-Rich Plasma With Fractional Laser for Adult Patients With Vitiligo: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Xiaowei Feng et al. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2025 May.

Abstract

Objective: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a novel treatment option for vitiligo. It has been reported to be effective in combination with other methods, such as fractional laser. However, there is no consensus on the specific combined use of PRP with fractional laser. Therefore, this meta-analysis assessed the efficacy and safety of this combination regimen compared to control groups for vitiligo.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted for relevant randomized controlled trials comparing PRP plus fractional laser with other routine treatments published from inception to January 2025. Data regarding the mean grade of repigmentation, patient's satisfaction score, rate of satisfactory repigmentation or no response, and incidence of side effects were extracted and meta-analyzed using a fixed or randomized model.

Results: Seven studies involving 366 patients were reviewed. The combination of PRP and fractional laser therapy significantly improved the mean grade of repigmentation (mean difference [MD] = 1.58; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.08-2.07; p < 0.01) and patients' satisfaction score (MD = 1.87; 95% CI = 0.90-2.83; p = 0.0001), while also reducing the no response rate (risk ratio [RR] = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.32-0.92; p = 0.02), compared with control groups, including monotherapy, topical drug or sun exposure only, and fractional lasers plus narrowband ultraviolet B. Additionally, the incidence of adverse events for combination therapy was comparable to that of control groups (RR = 0.86; 95% CI = 0.69-1.07; p = 0.17).

Conclusions: This meta-analysis provides evidence supporting the combined use of PRP and fractional laser therapy as a valuable and safe treatment modality for patients with vitiligo, based on its superiority to control groups and comparable rates of side effects. However, more well-designed and large-scale studies are required to confirm it.

Keywords: fractional laser; meta‐analysis; platelet‐rich plasma; repigmentation; vitiligo.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Flowchart of the study selection process.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Funnel plot of bias risk.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Mean grade of repigmentation at the end. FL, Fractional laser; PRP, platelet‐rich plasma.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Patients' satisfaction scores. FL, Fractional laser; PRP, platelet‐rich plasma.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Response rate of satisfactory repigmentation. FL, Fractional laser; PRP, platelet‐rich plasma.
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
Response rate of poor repigmentation. FL, Fractional laser; PRP, platelet‐rich plasma.
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 7
Rates of side effects. FL, Fractional laser; PRP, platelet‐rich plasma.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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