Treatment of Alopecia Areata with Nonablative Fractional Laser Combined with Topical Minoxidil

In 2019, a study was conducted on eight Chinese patients with alopecia areata to test the effectiveness and safety of a combination therapy of a nonablative fractional laser and topical minoxidil. The patients underwent 10 treatments every two weeks, and hair regrowth was observed 1-2 months after treatment. Complete regrowth was seen in 2 patients, and 2 children with alopecia universalis showed 30% and 50% regrowth. At the 1-year follow-up, all but one patient had no relapse. The study concluded that the combination of nonablative laser and topical minoxidil could be a good alternative therapy for alopecia areata patients, including those with alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis, without systemic and local side effects.