Efficacy and Safety of Superficial Cryotherapy for Alopecia Areata: A Retrospective Comprehensive Review of 353 Cases Over 22 Years

The retrospective study analyzed 353 patients with alopecia areata treated with superficial cryotherapy over a 22-year period and found that 60.9% of patients responded positively to the treatment, with better outcomes observed when treatments were administered at intervals of 2 weeks or less and during the initial stage of the disease. The treatment was deemed effective and safe, with the majority of patients experiencing no severe side effects, only mild pain and pruritus. The study highlighted the effectiveness of superficial cryotherapy, especially for new onset AA, and reported minimal side effects, but noted the absence of a control group as a limitation.