My excimer laser treatment experience

I've had vitiligo for 3 years but it has really picked up in the last year. Protopic worked well on my face and Lidex (steroid) ointment worked well on my hands (but I am getting new spots again).

In February I decided to start Xtrac (by Photomedex) xcimer laser treatments. It was stressful going through the approval process even though my insurance company covered it. It has also been very costly. Luckily, my co-insurance has kicked in.

After 25 treatments, I have repigmentation occurring on my shoulders, arms, hips, knee, hand, and elbows. It is really slow but at least something is happening. I had hoped that my feet and knee had better response, so I decided to go to another dermatologist with 3 years of experience with Xtrac laser treatments for a second opinion. I am so glad I did! The tech told me that they are able to do treatments with different dosages/strengths on different areas of the body. My current dermatologist had told me he couldn't since it would cost me more! I am so disappointed since I think I could have had better results by now! It is a longer drive but I am going to switch.

If you're considering doing xcimer laser treatments I would recommend contacting Photomedex. They will locate doctors in the area that use the laser and actually see patients with vitiligo. Also, I just learned that they have $300 rebate going on right now for up to 10 treatments!

Hope this helps! Feel free to ask me questions about xcimer laser treatments!

Replies

xinzhong March 21, 2013 at 4:14pm

Want to recommend a reasonable charge of hospitals and doctors, I use UVB to have effect, but can not be completely covered, see your suggestion, want to try Xtrac.
Immaculata LaCroce March 10, 2013 at 11:40am

Thanks hopefully there is a doctor in my area. A few years ago I went to a specialist and he told me the excimer laser would be the ticket for me but he did not know of any doctors in the area who had one . Hopefully now there may be more of the lasers in use. I have emailed the photomedex site And I will wait to hear from them. So glad I saw this today, thanks so much.
Immaculata LaCroce March 10, 2013 at 10:12am

What state are you from. I am in the process of trying to find a doctor who has the xcimer laser. When I first went to a dermatologist she actually was trying to make my skin whiter rather than trying to repigment my skin. She would zap my skin with with a laser and burn pigment off. She really messed me up I would rather she had told me she did not know how to treat ,my condition than treat it wrong.
- Shamira > Immaculata LaCroce March 10, 2013 at 10:23am
  
  Also if you decide to do the treatments make sure to ask about the rebate program. There is no limit to the number of rebates! Make friends with people at Photomedex. They will help. But make sure the doctor you select has lots of experience with the machine.
- Shamira > Immaculata LaCroce March 10, 2013 at 10:17am
  
  I'm so sorry to hear that. It was a lot of work to find a good office for me in Arizona. I recommend that you go to the Photomedex website and fill out the form to get a list of doctors in your area. They are the ones that will coordinate with your insurance company to see if its a covered benefit. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Wayne Lindsay December 20, 2012 at 5:37am

Hi Shamira,

Can you give me an update on your Xcimer treatment please? 'hope it's going well'

regards,

Wayne.
- Shamira > Wayne Lindsay December 21, 2012 at 5:52am
  
  Only one of three offices I've gone to had the actual dermatologist do the treatments. Otherwise nurses or aestheticians do the quick and simple treatment.
- Shamira > Wayne Lindsay December 21, 2012 at 3:23am
  
  I've been way too busy to take pictures. So far none of the spots have reappeared that have repigmented. The newest usually are the ones to repigment first. The extremeties are the hardest.
  - Wayne Lindsay > Shamira December 21, 2012 at 3:26am
    
    Ok Thank you Shamira,
    
    Are you being treated with a specialist Dematologist?
    
    Thank you,
    
    Wayne
- Shamira > Wayne Lindsay December 20, 2012 at 11:00am
  
  I came across Xtrac xcimer treatments just from researching. My oTher derms didn't even know about it!! Many docs don't know much about vit.
  My laser tech has told me that spots that repigment will never lose color again but you never know when you may get new spots elsewhere. But if you catch it early you can go back for treatments and get quicker response than waiting too long.
  
  Only side effect is skin getting red or burned if dosage is too high. But it goes away quickly. Some spots that have repigment end are darker/tanner than the rest of my skin. That takes time to fade away.

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