Congenital alopecia areata
February 2005
in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”
TLDR Some babies are born with alopecia areata, and a treatment with clobetasol propionate can regrow hair in half of the cases.
The document reported on four cases of congenital alopecia areata (AA), with follow-ups of 3 to 5 years, challenging the typical view of AA as an acquired condition. The patients, who had no relevant family history and were born at term, experienced periods of hair loss quiescence ranging from 6 to 24 months. Treatments varied, but clobetasol propionate 0.05% was most effective, achieving full hair regrowth in 50% of the cases. The findings indicate that AA can be congenital and should be considered when diagnosing congenital hair loss. The study emphasizes the need for long-term follow-up to understand congenital AA's prognosis better.
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