Alopecia Areata in Korea (1982–1994)

The study analyzed 905 patients with alopecia areata (AA) from 1982 to 1994 at Chung Ang University. The incidence of AA was 1.5% among 59,970 out-patients, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.3:1. High incidences were noted in the third (41.8%) and fourth decades (20.0%) of life. Family history was contributory in 11.5% of cases, and the relapse rate was 17.5%. Nearly half of the patients had a solitary lesion, predominantly in the occipital region. Associated diseases included seborrheic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, and others. Treatment effectiveness for bald patches less than 50 cm² was similar between triamcinolone acetonide injections and DNCB/DPCP immunotherapy, but for larger bald areas, DNCB/DPCP immunotherapy was more effective.