Vitiligo and sympathectomy. The effect of sympathectomy and alpha- melanocyte stimulating hormone

A 29-year-old man with vitiligo was treated by sympathectomy and later by racemized α-melanin-stimulating hormone (MSH). Only a slight increase in melanogenic activity of normal skin followed sympathectomy, while the vitiligo progressed. Alpha-MSH produced darkening and melanocytic activity in normal skin, but vitiliginous areas were unaffected.