ViPC Journal Reading

This week’s pigment meeting centered on the clinical evaluation of hypopigmented disorders, combining insights from dermatopathology, laser-induced pigmentation changes, and phototherapy mechanisms. Highlights include:

📘 Book Reading
Presenter: Dr. Chien-Cheng Lai
Topic: Pigmentary Skin Disorders (Kumarasinghe, 2018) – Chapter 2: Dermatopathology Clues in Pigmentary Disorders
This chapter provides key histopathological features of pigmentary disorders, emphasizing how variations in melanocyte distribution and melanin deposition can serve as diagnostic clues to differentiate types of leukoderma.

📄 Case Report Review
Presenter: Dr. Hao-Kai Chuang
Topic: Mechanistic Insights into Laser-Induced Punctate Leukoderma
Three case reports on punctate leukoderma following low-fluence 1,064-nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser treatment for melasma were reviewed. The discussion focused on whether the resulting hypopigmentation was melanopenic (loss of pigment) or melanocytopenic (loss of melanocytes), and addressed the implications for treatment outcomes and prognosis.

💡 Excimer Light/Laser: Principles and Clinical Challenges
Speaker: Dr. Chau Yee Ng
Dr. Ng shared practical insights into the use of excimer light and laser therapy for vitiligo, including parameter settings, real-world case applications, and treatment pitfalls. The session emphasized optimizing therapeutic response and patient satisfaction in pigment restoration therapies.