Punch Grafting Treatment in India

Ishaan Roy, a 28-year-old software engineer,...

Ishaan Roy, a 28-year-old software engineer, had been struggling with a patch of stable vitiligo on his chin since his late teens. The stark white patch, about the size of a coin, was impossible to hide with stubble and made him extremely self-conscious in meetings and social settings. He had tried topical steroids and phototherapy for over a year with minimal repigmentation. His dermatologist, Dr. Sharma, recommended punch grafting as a targeted surgical option to 'seed' pigment-producing cells into the depigmented area. Ishaan was anxious about the minor surgery but hopeful. The procedure, done under local anesthesia, was quick with a sensation of pressure. The first week of recovery was meticulous, keeping the graft sites clean and protected. Over the next three months, he watched in amazement as tiny islands of brown pigment spread from the graft sites, eventually merging to cover about 80% of the white patch. Emotionally, he moved from a place of constant awareness and deflection ('I just have a skin thing') to a newfound confidence. He no longer angles his face away in photos and feels the condition no longer defines him.