Alopecia Areata: An Overview of Treatments and Efficacy

The 2014 document on alopecia areata describes it as an autoimmune, often familial disease causing nonscarring hair loss, with a lifetime incidence of 1.7%. Treatments vary in effectiveness and side effects, with intralesional corticosteroids and topical immunotherapy being more common options. PUVA therapy and anthralin have low success rates, while topical minoxidil and cryosurgery have mixed results. Systemic corticosteroids and other systemic treatments like methotrexate and azathioprine are not well-supported due to high relapse rates and potential toxicity. A study on 28 children showed that 84% had hair regrowth with topical immunotherapy, although side effects were common. The document concludes that no treatment changes the natural course of the disease and that efficacy varies, with some treatments like topical corticosteroids potentially being more effective in children.