TLDR Alopecia universalis can be an early sign of HIV.
Highly active antiretroviral therapy has increased the life expectancy of HIV-positive patients, leading to a shift in the spectrum of associated comorbidities, including dermatologic disorders. Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease that disrupts the hair cycle, and alopecia universalis is a rare variant of AA. There are very few reported cases of alopecia universalis in HIV-positive patients, and none have been documented in Portugal.
15 citations,
August 2006 in “Journal of Cutaneous Pathology” HIV-1 may cause increased stem cell death in hair follicles, leading to hair loss.
46 citations,
January 1996 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” People with late-stage HIV-1 often experience a specific type of hair loss linked to multiple factors, including nutritional issues and immune responses.
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October 2022 in “Journal of Armed Forces Medical College, Bangladesh” Tofacitinib is effective and safe for treating alopecia areata.
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May 2018 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology” Applying 2% tofacitinib cream helped some children with severe hair loss grow back hair.
24 citations,
June 2016 in “Acta dermato-venereologica” Tofacitinib helped a young woman's severe hair loss and arthritis but not her plaque psoriasis.