Alopecia Areata of the Nails: Diagnosis and Management

Alopecia Areata (AA) can affect nails, with changes like pitting, trachyonychia, and leukonychia occurring in about 22% of patients, particularly in severe cases and children. These changes, while often asymptomatic, can impact quality of life. Diagnosis may require a biopsy, as clinical appearance alone is insufficient due to similarities with other conditions. Treatment is not always necessary due to the possibility of spontaneous improvement, especially in children, and there are no standardized treatment protocols. JAK inhibitors show promise, but further research is needed to establish guidelines based on age and severity. A study compiling data from 7,476 participants found pitting to be the most common nail change, occurring in 70.7% of cases.