The Use of 308-nm Excimer Laser Therapy in Alopecia Areata and Primary Cicatricial Alopecia: A Systematic Review

    July 2026 in “ Applied Sciences ”
    Joshua Mijares, Manoj Bhagwat, Neil Jairath … Vignesh Ramachandran
    Studysummary This review suggests that 308 nm excimer therapy may offer a well-tolerated non-pharmacologic option for alopecia areata, with more limited evidence for its effectiveness in lichen planopilaris and frontal fibrosing alopecia.
    Automatically generated from the study's abstract, not written by a person, and not a review of the full paper. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Read the original study, and consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer
    Read the full study on mdpi.com →
    Discuss this study in the Community →

    Research cited in this study 52

    1. Clinical Response and Time to Improvement with 308-nm Excimer Laser Therapy in Scarring Alopecia: A Retrospective Cohort Study Journal of Dermatological Treatment · 2026
    2. Excimer 308-Nm Laser for the Treatment of Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: An Observational Study in 30 Patients Frontiers in Medicine · 2026
    3. Clinical Characteristics, Subtype Classification, and Prognostic Factors of Ophiasis: A Retrospective Study of 150 Patients with Therapeutic Implications Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · 2026
    4. Efficacy of Local and Whole-Body Phototherapy for the Treatment of Various Types of Alopecia Areata Photodermatology Photoimmunology & Photomedicine · 2025
    5. Longitudinal Clinical Course, Treatment Outcomes, and Relapse Patterns in Alopecia Areata: A Prospective Cohort Study Frontiers in Medicine · 2025
    6. TH1 Effector CD4 T Cells Rely on IFN-γ Production to Induce Alopecia Areata Science Advances · 2025
    7. A Systematic Review of Procedural Modalities in the Treatment of Lichen Planopilaris, Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia, and Discoid Lupus Erythematosus Lasers in Medical Science · 2025
    8. Full-Spectrum Phototherapy in Hair Loss Management: A Systematic Review of Wavelength-Dependent Mechanisms, Clinical Efficacy, and Future Directions Lasers in Medical Science · 2025
    9. Off-Label Use of Biologics and Janus Kinase Inhibitors for Scarring Alopecias: A Narrative Review Archives of Dermatological Research · 2025
    10. Systemic Treatments for Lichen Planopilaris and Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Retrospective Study of 315 Patients Acta Dermato Venereologica · 2025
    11. A Case of Refractory Alopecia Areata Successfully Treated by Combining Delgocitinib Ointment with Excimer Laser Skin Health and Disease · 2025
    12. 308 Nm Excimer Light Together With Topical Betamethasone Valerate in Treating Alopecia Areata Archives of Dermatological Research · 2025
    13. Efficacy and Safety of Laser Therapy and Phototherapy in Cicatricial and Non-Cicatricial Alopecia: A Systematic Review Study Health Science Reports · 2024
    14. Alopecia Areata Exhibits Cutaneous And Systemic OX40 Activation Across Atopic Backgrounds Allergy · 2024
    15. The Alopecia Areata Severity And Morbidity Index (ASAMI) Study JAMA Dermatology · 2024
    16. European Expert Consensus Statement on the Systemic Treatment of Alopecia Areata JEADV. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology/Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology · 2024
    17. Excimer Light Versus Combination of Tacrolimus and Excimer Light in the Treatment of Alopecia Areata Dermatologic Therapy · 2024
    18. Inhibition of T-Cell Activity in Alopecia Areata: Recent Developments and New Directions Frontiers in immunology · 2023
    19. Assessing The Efficacy Of Monthly 308 Nm Excimer Lamp Double-Stacked Pulse Adjusted Therapy For Alopecia Areata Skin Appendage Disorders · 2023
    20. Efficacy and Safety of Combination 308-nm Excimer Laser and Intralesional Corticosteroid Versus Intralesional Corticosteroid Monotherapy in the Treatment of Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Pilot Study Deleted Journal · 2023
    21. Alopecia Areata: Current Treatments and New Directions American Journal of Clinical Dermatology · 2023
    22. Successful Management of Severe Alopecia Areata and Vitiligo Using Topical Delgocitinib and a 308-nm Excimer Laser European journal of dermatology/EJD. European journal of dermatology · 2023
    23. Treatment Modalities for Lymphocytic and Neutrophilic Scarring Alopecia Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology · 2023
    24. Recent Advances in Understanding of the Etiopathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Management of Hair Loss Diseases Journal of Clinical Medicine · 2023
    25. Efficacy and Safety of Ritlecitinib in Adults and Adolescents With Alopecia Areata: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Multicentre, Phase 2b–3 Trial The Lancet · 2023
    26. An Overview of JAK/STAT Pathways and JAK Inhibition in Alopecia Areata Frontiers in immunology · 2022
    27. Oral Tofacitinib for the Treatment of Alopecia Areata in Pediatric Patients Pediatric Dermatology · 2021
    28. Evaluation of the Efficacy of Excimer Light 308 nm Wavelength Versus Low Level Laser in Treatment of Alopecia Areata Journal of advances in medicine and medical research · 2021
    29. 308-nm Excimer Lamp Versus Combination of 308-nm Excimer Lamp and 10% Liquor Carbonis Detergens in Patients With Scalp Psoriasis: A Randomized, Single-Blinded, Controlled Trial Frontiers in Medicine · 2021
    30. Treatment of Pediatric Alopecia Areata: A Systematic Review Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · 2021
    31. Hair Follicle Immune Privilege and Its Collapse in Alopecia Areata Experimental dermatology · 2020
    32. Efficacy and Influence Factors of 308-nm Excimer Lamp with Minoxidil in the Treatment of Alopecia Areata Lasers in Surgery and Medicine · 2020
    33. Frontiers in Alopecia Areata Pathobiology Research ˆThe ‰journal of allergy and clinical immunology/Journal of allergy and clinical immunology/˜The œjournal of allergy and clinical immunology · 2019
    34. Topical Calcipotriol vs Narrowband Ultraviolet B in Treatment of Alopecia Areata: A Randomized-Controlled Trial Archives of Dermatological Research · 2019
    35. Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: Efficacy of Treatment Modalities International Journal of Women's Health · 2019
    36. Alopecia Areata: A Long-Term Follow-Up Study of 104 Patients JEADV. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology/Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology · 2019
    37. Primary Cicatricial Alopecia: Treatment Approaches and Classification Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology · 2016
    38. 308-Nanometer Excimer Light Therapy for Alopecia Universalis Resistant to Other Treatments: A Clinical Study of 11 Patients Journal of Dermatology · 2016
    39. Applications of the Excimer Laser Dermatologic surgery · 2015
    40. Effectiveness of 308-nm Excimer Laser Therapy in Treating Alopecia Areata by Examining Treated Sides of Selected Alopecic Patches Dermatology · 2015
    41. A Study on the Efficacy of 308 nm Excimer Light Therapy in Alopecia Areata Przegla̧d dermatologiczny · 2015
    42. Excimer Lamp as an Effective Alternative Treatment for Severe Alopecia Areata Dermatologica sinica/Zhōnghuá pífūkē yīxué zázhì · 2014
    43. Alopecia Areata Is Driven by Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes and Is Reversed by JAK Inhibition Nature medicine · 2014
    44. Excimer Laser: A Module of the Alopecia Areata Common Protocol Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings · 2013
    45. Lichen Planopilaris Is Characterized By Immune Privilege Collapse Of The Hair Follicle's Epithelial Stem Cell Niche The Journal of Pathology · 2013
    46. Alopecia Areata: An Autoimmune Disease Causing Hair Loss The New England Journal of Medicine · 2012
    47. Histopathology of Alopecia: A Clinicopathological Approach to Diagnosis Histopathology · 2009
    48. 308-nm Excimer Laser for the Treatment of Alopecia Areata in Children Pediatric dermatology · 2009
    49. Different Applications of Monochromatic Excimer Light in Skin Diseases Photomedicine and Laser Surgery · 2009
    50. Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia Versus Lichen Planopilaris: A Clinicopathological Study International Journal of Dermatology · 2006
    51. 308-Nm Excimer Laser Therapy in Alopecia Areata Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · 2004
    52. Treatment of Hair Loss The New England Journal of Medicine · 1999