The stability test
You are likely a candidate if, for at least 12 months:
- No new white patches have appeared
- Existing patches have not grown
- New patches have not formed at sites of cuts or scratches (the Koebner phenomenon)
Photographs from the past year are the best evidence. If the disease is active, grafts may not take, and the donor site itself can turn white.
Types that respond best
| Type | Response to surgery |
|---|---|
| Segmental vitiligo (one side, one area) | Very good |
| Stable focal patches | Very good |
| Lip vitiligo | Good |
| Stable generalised vitiligo | Moderate, depends on stability |
| Fingertips, knuckles, joints | Lower |
| Active, spreading vitiligo | Not suitable |
Techniques
- Mini-punch grafting: tiny skin plugs placed in the patch; pigment spreads around each.
- Thin split-thickness grafting: a very thin sheet of normal skin over the prepared patch; good for lips and larger areas.
- Suction blister grafting: blister roofs from normal skin; good colour match.
- Melanocyte transfer (cell suspension): cells separated from a small donor area treat a much larger patch.
After surgery
Colour usually starts to appear at 4–6 weeks and fills in over 3–6 months. Phototherapy or controlled sun exposure is often advised to speed it up.
Medical treatment comes first
Creams, phototherapy and treatment of associated conditions such as thyroid disease are the first line. Surgery is for stable patches that haven't responded.
See vitiligo surgery in Ranchi, or the Hinglish guide safed daag ka ilaj surgery se.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-11
This page is general information, not a diagnosis or a treatment plan. Results and recovery differ between patients. Prices are starting prices and are confirmed after examination.