Subsurface Detection of Hair Follicles in Alopecia Areata Using Optical Coherence Tomography

January 2022 in “ Skin research and technology ”

Ai Ping Yow, Wellington Zhengdao Lee, Damon Wing Kee Wong, Hong Liang Tey

alopecia areata optical coherence tomography hair follicles dermoepidermal junction steroid injections AA OCT DEJ

Studysummary In this study, optical coherence tomography detected hair follicles at the dermoepidermal junction not visible on the scalp surface in alopecia areata patients, suggesting OCT may help monitor treatment response. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

This study investigates the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to detect subsurface hair follicles in patients with alopecia areata (AA). Conducted on 20 patients, the study found that OCT can visualize hair follicles at the dermoepidermal junction (DEJ), which are not visible on the scalp surface. The presence of these subsurface follicles likely indicates regrowing hair. OCT could potentially be used in clinical settings to monitor treatment responses and reduce the need for repeated steroid injections, thereby minimizing side effects. Further studies are needed to correlate OCT findings with clinical improvements in AA.

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Research cited in this study

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research Alopecia Areata Is Driven by Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes and Is Reversed by JAK Inhibition

701 citations , August 2014 in “Nature medicine”

This study found that JAK inhibitors promote hair regrowth in both mice and human alopecia areata cases by blocking key immune pathways involved in disease development.

research Prospective Ultramorphological Characterization of Human Hair by Optical Coherence Tomography

18 citations , August 2009 in “Skin Research and Technology”

In this study, optical coherence tomography was used to produce 3D images of human hair, revealing that after chemical treatment with ammonium thioglycolate, the main hair structures were not identifiable due to damage.