Comparative Evaluation of Intralesional Triamcinolone Acetonide Injection, Narrow Band Ultraviolet B, and Their Combination in Alopecia Areata

The study compared intralesional triamcinolone acetonide injection, narrow band ultraviolet B (NBUVB) therapy, and their combination in treating alopecia areata in 40 patients. Intralesional steroids led to more than 50% hair regrowth in 67.5% of patients, outperforming NBUVB alone, which achieved similar results in only 17.5% of patients. The combination therapy did not show a synergistic effect, with 62.5% of patients experiencing more than 50% hair regrowth. Intralesional steroids were more effective than NBUVB, and combining the two did not enhance the clinical response. Side effects were more significant with intralesional steroids, including pain and transient atrophy, while NBUVB had minimal side effects.