TLDR Tofacitinib helped a 19-year-old regrow hair after other treatments failed.
The document described a case where a 19-year-old female with alopecia universalis (AU), a severe form of alopecia areata (AA), was successfully treated with tofacitinib, a JAK1/3 inhibitor. After previous treatments failed, she began taking tofacitinib in December 2015 and experienced significant hair regrowth by August 2016 without adverse effects. Tofacitinib works by inhibiting the JAK-STAT pathway, which is involved in hair follicle destruction. Despite its promise, the drug's high cost and potential risks, such as increased malignancy and infection, make its off-label use controversial. The document emphasized the need for more controlled studies to assess the safety and long-term efficacy of JAK inhibitors for AA.
7 citations
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March 2021 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology” Tofacitinib can regrow hair in alopecia areata patients, but some may experience flares during treatment.
1 citations
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July 2019 in “Medicina Clínica (English Edition)” Tofacitinib partially improved hair regrowth in a patient with severe hair loss.
130 citations
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February 2018 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Tofacitinib may help treat severe hair loss, but more research is needed.
24 citations
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January 2018 in “International Journal of Trichology” Tofacitinib helped regrow hair in patients with alopecia, with few side effects.
16 citations
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July 2017 in “Rheumatology and Therapy” Tofacitinib, a medication for arthritis, showed potential for treating severe hair loss in a small Brazilian case series, but more research is needed.
2 citations
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May 2017 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology” Tofacitinib helped a 19-year-old regrow hair after other treatments failed.
16 citations
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January 2017 in “Acta dermatovenerologica Alpina, Pannonica et Adriatica (Tiskana izd.)” A patient with complete hair loss regrew all her hair using tofacitinib.
