Alopecia Areata: Updates from the Mouse Perspective

A user with alopecia totalis, borderline universalis, seeks advice on getting into a Xeljanz trial or appealing insurance for coverage. They experienced significant hair regrowth but are now seeing hair loss again and want to try Xeljanz.

The user shared minimal results from using JXL-069 for hair loss, noting a slight lengthening of vellus hairs and plans to switch to a prodrug variant due to limited effectiveness. They also mentioned using finasteride and minoxidil, which have plateaued in results.

PP405 is a safer alternative to JXL069 for hair loss treatment because it penetrates the skin effectively and degrades in the blood, avoiding systemic toxicity. JXL069, when forced into the body, can cause dangerous side effects like lactic acidosis due to its inability to degrade safely.

Lichen Planopilaris (LPP) is an autoimmune condition causing permanent hair loss and fibrosis, often misdiagnosed. Treatments include pioglitazone, topical corticosteroids, anti-inflammatory medication, and Jak inhibitors.

Hair loss treatments are being tested on mice, with methods like minoxidil and stem cell therapy showing promising results. However, human trials are still years away, leading to humorous frustration about mice benefiting first.

The user is experiencing diffuse thinning and inflammation despite using 2.5mg dutasteride daily, ciclopirox, and ketoconazole shampoos. They are considering treatments like hydroxychloroquine and JAK inhibitors due to suspected scarring alopecia and have faced challenges in obtaining a scalp biopsy.