Alopecia Areata: A Review

July 2013 in “ Journal of the Saudi Society of Dermatology & Dermatologic Surgery ”

Syed Suhail Amin, Sandeep Sachdeva

TLDR Alopecia areata is an autoimmune hair loss condition treated with corticosteroids, and histologic confirmation is the best diagnosis method.

This document is a review of alopecia areata, a non-scarring autoimmune hair loss condition that affects the scalp and/or body. The cause of the condition is unknown, but it is associated with autoimmunity and other autoimmune disorders. Corticosteroids are the most popular drugs for the treatment of this disease. The article outlines the etiologic and pathogenic mechanisms, clinical features, diagnosis, and management of alopecia areata. The document also discusses various diagnostic tests, including the pull test, pluck test, scalp biopsy, daily hair counts, and trichoscopy. The severity of the disease is assessed using a clinical scale and the Severity of Alopecia Tool score. The document concludes that histologic confirmation is the best method to confirm the presence of a fibrosing/scarring process with loss of hair follicles.

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12 / 12 results

research Endogenous Retinoids in the Pathogenesis of Alopecia Areata

54 citations , February 2013 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology”

Vitamin A affects hair loss and immune response in alopecia areata.

research Alopecia Areata: Clinical Presentation, Diagnosis, and Unusual Cases

109 citations , May 2011 in “Dermatologic Therapy”

Alopecia areata is a type of hair loss that can lead to complete baldness, often associated with other autoimmune conditions, and half of the cases may see hair return within a year.

research Acute Diffuse And Total Alopecia: A New Subtype Of Alopecia Areata With A Favorable Prognosis

64 citations , January 2009 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

A new type of rapid hair loss called ADTA usually gets better on its own within 6 months.

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45 citations , July 2008 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

Sulfasalazine may help treat persistent alopecia areata.

research Alopecia Areata: Overview and Treatment Options

151 citations , February 2007 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

Alopecia areata causes hair loss, has no cure, and various treatments exist.

research Alopecia Areata: A Tissue-Specific Autoimmune Disease of the Hair Follicle

185 citations , January 2006 in “Autoimmunity Reviews”

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition causing hair loss due to the immune system attacking hair follicles, often influenced by genetics and stress.

research Management of Hair Loss

74 citations , April 2005 in “Dermatologic Clinics”

Minoxidil and finasteride are effective for male hair loss, minoxidil for female hair loss, and various treatments like corticosteroids work for alopecia areata; treatment should be tailored to the individual.

research Clobetasol Propionate 0.05% Under Occlusion in the Treatment of Alopecia Totalis/Universalis

146 citations , July 2003 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

Clobetasol propionate ointment can help some people with total hair loss regrow hair.

research PUVA Treatment of Alopecia Areata Totalis and Universalis: A Retrospective Study

39 citations , April 2003 in “Australasian journal of dermatology”

PUVA treatment led to significant hair regrowth in over half of the patients with alopecia areata totalis and universalis.

research Sulfasalazine for Alopecia Areata

62 citations , April 2002 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

Sulfasalazine may help regrow hair in severe alopecia areata cases.

research Treatment-Resistant Alopecia Areata

46 citations , June 1990 in “Archives of dermatology”

Combining 5% minoxidil and 0.5% anthralin can help regrow hair in some severe alopecia areata patients.

research Double-blind, placebo-controlled evaluation of topical minoxidil in extensive alopecia areata

104 citations , March 1987 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Minoxidil helps hair growth in 63.6% of alopecia patients, with 27.3% having excellent results.

2 / 2 results

research Twenty Nail Dystrophy with Alopecia Areata in an Atopic Child

April 2019 in “International journal of research in dermatology”

A child with rough nails also had hair loss and allergies.

research Oral Tofacitinib: A Promising Treatment in Atopic Dermatitis, Alopecia Areata, and Vitiligo

37 citations , October 2017 in “Clinical and Experimental Dermatology”

Oral tofacitinib shows promise in treating atopic dermatitis and alopecia areata, but only slight improvement in vitiligo.