TLDR A woman regrew her hair significantly using a corticosteroid cream with a plastic cover.
A 34-year-old woman with alopecia totalis of 5 years duration experienced significant hair regrowth after being treated with 0.025% fluocinolone acetonide cream under an occlusive plastic dressing. The treatment involved applying the cream and covering it with a plastic film for 48 hours every 72 hours. After 3.5 months, her hair grew to 3 cm, and by September 1962, it reached 5 cm with normal texture and color. The patient showed no systemic side effects, and the treatment's success suggests that the corticosteroid acts locally, possibly facilitated by the occlusive dressing.
15 citations,
June 1961 in “Archives of Dermatology” Triamcinolone can regrow hair in alopecia areata, but the effect is temporary.
6 citations,
March 2019 in “JAAD case reports” A new mix of anthralin and calcipotriene might help treat severe hair loss.
148 citations,
December 2018 in “Journal of autoimmunity” Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease causing patchy hair loss, often with other autoimmune disorders, but its exact causes are unknown.
4 citations,
November 2018 in “JAAD case reports” Alopecia areata can sometimes appear as a straight line of hair loss instead of round patches.
May 2018 in “Journal of cosmetology & trichology” Combining platelet-rich plasma therapy with prostaglandin-F eye drops can significantly regrow hair in alopecia universalis.
110 citations,
December 2013 in “The journal of investigative dermatology. Symposium proceedings/The Journal of investigative dermatology symposium proceedings” Alopecia areata is a genetic and immune-related hair loss condition that is often associated with other autoimmune diseases and does not typically cause permanent damage to hair follicles.
