Treatment for depigmentation following burn injuries

Partial-thickness burn injuries frequently heal with pigmentary changes. Occasionally, permanent depigmentation is observed, especially in areas such as the hands, fingers and wrists. This article reports our surgical technique and our success in using it to treat depigmentation after burn injuries. This technique consists of superficial dermabrasion of the depigmented region, followed by transplantation of melanocytes via epithelial sheet grafts. With this technique, 30 separate surgical procedures have been performed on 21 patients. The follow-up period for these patients has ranged from 2 weeks to 94 months with an average of 17 months. The skin-graft take has been good to excellent in all patients. The colour match has been good or excellent in all but one patient. No complications have been observed. This procedure has consistently and reliably improved the disfigurement from depigmentation in all of the patients we have treated.