The best way to stop the progression of vitiligo before initiating repigmentation therapy is through the use of oral corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs.

Specifically:

• Oral mini-pulse therapy with low doses of corticosteroids like betamethasone or dexamethasone (2.5-5mg on 2 consecutive days per week) has been shown to arrest active disease progression in around 90% of vitiligo patients.
• Intravenous methylprednisolone pulses (8mg/kg for 3 consecutive days, repeated at 4 and 8 weeks) halted active vitiligo progression in 85% of patients in one study.

These oral or intravenous corticosteroid pulse therapies aim to first stabilize the autoimmune condition and stop the spread of depigmented patches, before attempting repigmentation with other treatments like phototherapy or topicals.

Immunosuppressive drugs like oral mini-pulse corticosteroids are preferred as the initial treatment phase, especially in children, to control the autoimmune process driving vitiligo activity and progression.

Results of our early clinical study indicate another possibility for stopping vitiligo progression. An immunomodulator can safely and effectively stop disease progression within one month but it is available in certain countries only. Read more in "Acridone acetic acid, sodium salt, as an agent to stop vitiligo progression: a pilot study" at Pubmed.

So in summary, oral or intravenous corticosteroid pulse/mini-pulse regimens appear to be the most effective first-line medical approach recommended to arrest the progression of active vitiligo, prior to initiating repigmentation therapies once the disease is stabilized.

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