308-Nanometer Excimer Light Therapy for Alopecia Universalis Resistant to Other Treatments: A Clinical Study of 11 Patients

In a study from 2011 to 2013 involving 11 patients with treatment-resistant alopecia universalis (AU), 308-nm excimer light therapy administered at 2-week intervals for over 16 sessions resulted in 36.4% of patients experiencing more than 70% hair regrowth, while 18.2% had poor responses. The therapy was particularly effective for patients with Japanese skin type 1 and those under 40 years of age at the onset of AU and the start of treatment. The study suggests that this therapy could be an alternative treatment for some AU patients, especially when high doses are used to induce a strong inflammatory skin reaction. However, the small sample size warrants further research, and the safety of the therapy in terms of long-term malignancy risk remains to be fully assessed.