TLDR Thymectomy and high-dose prednisolone improved hair loss in a woman with alopecia areata.
A 57-year-old Japanese woman with alopecia areata, myasthenia gravis (MG), and thymoma showed significant improvement in her scalp lesions following thymectomy and high-dose glucocorticosteroid treatment. Prior treatments, including systemic prednisolone, were ineffective as her hair loss progressed. However, after undergoing thymectomy and receiving high levels of glucocorticosteroids for MG, her scalp lesions improved within four weeks. This case suggested that thymectomy combined with high-dose glucocorticosteroid administration could effectively address the immune dysfunction responsible for alopecia in patients with similar conditions.
9 citations
,
April 1993 in “Journal of the National Cancer Institute” Interleukin-2 treatment improved hair growth, sexual function, and reduced fungal infection in a patient with thymoma-related symptoms.
49 citations
,
November 1992 in “Archives of dermatology” Different treatments for alopecia areata have varying success rates and side effects; intralesional steroids are most effective.
54 citations
,
August 1981 in “British Journal of Dermatology” Alopecia areata is linked to reduced T cell function and auto-immunity.
September 2025 in “International Journal of Molecular Sciences” International guidelines for treating alopecia areata vary, focusing on different treatment options and related health issues.
May 2023 in “Surgical Case Reports” A woman's hair loss improved after removing a tumor in her thymus gland, suggesting hair loss can be linked to such tumors even without a specific muscle weakness condition.
1 citations
,
October 2013 in “Expert Review of Dermatology” Diagnosing alopecia areata is challenging and requires careful examination and various tests to distinguish it from other hair loss types.
January 2025 in “Annals of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery” Removing the thymoma improved the patient's alopecia areata, suggesting a possible link between the two.
1 citations
,
January 2010 in “Türkiye klinikleri tıp bilimleri dergisi” A rare case showed hair regrowth after chemotherapy for thymoma, suggesting a link between alopecia areata and thymoma.
