From phototherapy to surgical grafting — Dr. Rajesh Vasu offers the full spectrum of evidence-based vitiligo treatments in Hyderabad. Plastic surgeon trained at AIIMS New Delhi, with 30+ years of experience and international fellowships in Barcelona and Sydney.
30 minutes
Local only
7 to 10 days
After 6–8 weeks
Vitiligo is a long-term skin condition where patches of skin lose their natural pigment. It happens when melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin ,stop functioning or are destroyed by the body’s own immune system. The result is well-defined white or light patches that can appear anywhere on the body, most often on the face, hands, around the mouth, eyes, elbows, knees, and the genital area.
It affects approximately 1 in 100 people worldwide, and India sits within that global average. It is not contagious, not caused by diet, not the result of poor hygiene, and not linked to any spiritual or moral cause, these are myths that still circulate in our culture and they delay people from seeking treatment.
What vitiligo is, clinically, is treatable. Modern aesthetic medicine offers a clear sequence of treatment options and the right one for you depends on how active your vitiligo is, how widespread it is, and how long it has been stable.
Identifying the type is the first step in choosing treatment. Each type behaves differently and responds to different therapies.
Your dermatologist or plastic surgeon will assess type, activity, and stability before recommending a pathway.
Not every patient needs surgery. Equally, not every patient will respond to creams or phototherapy alone. The decision depends on whether your vitiligo is active (still spreading) or stable (no new patches for 12 months or more).
” A torn earlobe is small. The scar that replaces it stays visible for years. The difference between one that fades and one that doesn’t is the surgeon.”
Surgical treatment is considered only when vitiligo has been stable for at least 12 months — meaning no new patches and no enlargement of existing ones — and only for limited, well-defined areas. Surgery does not “cure” vitiligo. It transplants healthy pigment-producing cells into the affected area to restore colour.
Results vary based on individual assessment, vitiligo stability, and skin response. Surgical grafting is offered only after thorough evaluation.
Performed in a fully accredited tertiary care hospital — sterile theatre, advanced infection control, hospital-grade safety standards. Not a clinic room.
Performed personally by Dr. Vasu. No technicians, no junior staff, no routing through general practice. Plastic surgery technique applied to every repair, however small.
30+ years of clinical experience. 5,000+ procedures performed. Internationally trained in aesthetic surgery at one of Europe’s most respected institutes.
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I don’t aim to change who you are. I work to enhance what is already there.
Detailed history of patch onset, family history, prior treatments. Examination under Wood’s lamp to assess type and activity.
20–30 MIN
Photographs, mapping of patches, comparison with prior history. This determines whether you are a candidate for surgery or phototherapy.
We walk you through your options, expected timelines, costs, and realistic outcomes. No pressure. No upselling.
If phototherapy: schedule first session. If surgery: pre-operative work-up. If neither yet: follow-up in 3 months
Real patients. Real repairs. All photographs published with written consent.
There is no permanent “cure” in the sense of preventing it from ever recurring. But repigmentation — restoring lost colour — is achievable in the majority of cases through phototherapy or surgical grafting, depending on stability and type.
No. Vitiligo cannot be passed from one person to another by touch, sharing food, or any other form of contact. It is an autoimmune-related condition, not an infection.
There is a slight genetic component — about 6–8% of children with one affected parent develop vitiligo, compared to 1% in the general population. It is not directly inherited; the predisposition is.
It can spread, especially during the active phase. Rate varies — some patients see slow spread over years; others have faster phases. Once stable for 12+ months, the risk of further spread drops significantly.
Phototherapy: visible repigmentation typically begins in 8–12 weeks of consistent twice-weekly sessions. Surgical grafting: visible repigmentation in 8–12 weeks, full colour matching by 6 months.
In most cases, yes — particularly with surgical grafting using your own melanocytes. Full colour matching takes time as the new pigment develops. Sun exposure (in moderation, supervised) helps the matching.
The grafted pigment cells are your own and behave like your normal skin. They are stable in most patients, especially if vitiligo remains stable. A small percentage may experience recurrence and require touch-up grafting.
Phototherapy is priced per session and as a course. Surgical grafting is priced based on the area treated and the technique used. Specific pricing is shared after the consultation, when we know the exact pathway. We commit to full transparency before any treatment begins.
Children can safely undergo conservative treatment — topicals and phototherapy — under supervision. Surgical grafting is reserved for adulthood, after vitiligo has been stable for at least 12 months.
Phototherapy uses targeted ultraviolet light to stimulate the patient’s existing melanocytes — it works for active vitiligo where there are still pigment cells to stimulate. Surgical grafting transplants healthy melanocytes from elsewhere on the body — it works for stable vitiligo where local pigment cells are largely absent.
A consultation is the start of clarity. We will assess your vitiligo, identify whether you are a candidate for phototherapy, surgical grafting, or a combined approach — and give you a realistic plan. No obligation, no pressure.