JAK Inhibitor + 308-nm Excimer Laser Treatment Promising for Pediatric Vitiligo
Significantly higher repigmentation rates seen for pediatric patients receiving JAK inhibitor versus topical tacrolimus therapy combined with 308-nm excimer laser
By Dermsquared Editorial Team | March 17, 2026
WEDNESDAY, March 4, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- A Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor combined with 308-nm excimer laser therapy shows promise for pediatric progressive vitiligo, according to a study published online March 2 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Shuying Chang, from The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University in China, and colleagues examined the efficacy and safety of a JAK inhibitor combined with 308-nm excimer laser therapy in children with progressive vitiligo in a prospective, single-blind randomized controlled trial enrolling 188 children aged 2 to 18 years who received treatment for 48 weeks. Group A received an oral JAK inhibitor combined with 308-nm excimer laser therapy and group B received topical tacrolimus therapy combined with 308-nm excimer laser therapy. The rate of repigmentation assessed by the Vitiligo Area Scoring Index was the primary outcome.
The researchers found that repigmentation rates were significantly higher in group A than group B, with mild-to-moderate adverse events and high tolerability. There were correlations seen for treatment response with age, disease duration, lesion location, and follicular depigmentation.
"The use of JAK inhibitors, especially in children, requires close monitoring," the authors write. "The 308-nm excimer laser is generally well tolerated in pediatric vitiligo, with common adverse effects including erythema, vesicles, hyperpigmentation and pruritus, which are usually localized and self-limiting."