Excimer stamp test distinguishing between nevus depigmentosus and segmental vitiligo
Jung Min Bae  Sung Hye Eun  Yeong Ho Kim  Ji Hun Park  Seung‐Kyung Hann
First published: 31 July 2019 https://doi.org/10.1111/pcmr.12814
This article has been accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as doi:10.1111/pcmr.12814
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Abstract
It is often challenging to distinguish between nevus depigmentosus (ND) and segmental vitiligo (SV), because both are unilateral and are primarily observed in children. Although a skin biopsy provides information that is crucial in terms of diagnosis, biopsy is often impractical, being associated with pain and scarring in young children. We devised an excimer stamp test to help diagnose the two conditions. We could diagnose a segmental, depigmented skin lesion in a child as ND, when hyperpigmentation is evident after the excimer stamp test. As excimer lasers are widely used in vitiligo clinics, this test can readily replace skin biopsy when seeking to determine the presence/absence of melanocytes within a lesion. It will also facilitate the diagnosis of various hypopigmentation disorders other than ND.