Alopecia Areata Barbae in a Nutshell

Beard alopecia areata (BAA) is a form of alopecia areata that primarily affects middle-aged men, causing patchy hair loss in the neck region that can spread to the scalp within 12 months. This review aimed to enhance clinicians' abilities in diagnosing and managing BAA by analyzing 25 articles. BAA is linked to autoimmune diseases like <i>H. pylori</i> and thyroiditis but lacks a clear genetic inheritance pattern seen in alopecia areata. Dermoscopic features such as vellus white hairs and exclamation mark hairs help differentiate BAA from other facial hair conditions. The ALBAS tool provides an objective measure for assessing BAA severity. While topical steroids were traditionally used, recent clinical trials showed that topical and oral janus kinase inhibitors led to up to 75% beard regrowth over 12 months.