Alopecia Areata: An Evidence-Based Treatment Update

In the 2014 review, 29 randomized controlled trials were analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments for alopecia areata, including corticosteroids, minoxidil, prostaglandin analogs, and other therapies. The review found that while some treatments like topical and oral corticosteroids and sensitizing agents were effective, the quality of the studies was only moderate, and many had significant limitations. Topical minoxidil showed positive results in certain conditions, but prostaglandins were ineffective for eyelash or eyebrow alopecia areata. Sensitizers like DNCB and DPCP showed promise for severe cases, though DNCB is less used due to safety concerns. Inosiplex and TGPC also showed positive outcomes, while other treatments like photodynamic therapy and bexarotene were not effective. The review highlighted the lack of FDA-approved drugs for alopecia areata and the need for more standardized, high-quality research.