A Case of Alopecia Areata with Paradoxical Spontaneous Repopulation and Good Response to Clobetasol Propionate

The document presents a case of an 8-year-old male patient with alopecia areata (AA), an autoimmune condition causing localized hair loss, who experienced paradoxical hair regrowth and responded well to treatment with clobetasol propionate. The patient had symmetrical alopecic patches in a triangular and targetoid pattern, primarily affecting the left fronto-parieto-temporo-occipital area of the scalp. Histology confirmed the diagnosis of AA. Treatment with clobetasol propionate foam at a dose of 500 µg applied at night on alternate weeks resulted in partial hair regrowth at the three-month follow-up and complete hair regrowth after six months, with no associated adverse effects. This case highlights the occurrence of spontaneous paradoxical repopulation in AA and the effectiveness of high-potency topical corticosteroids in such atypical presentations of hair loss.