Comparative Trial on Efficacy of Topical Contact Immunotherapy with Dinitrochlorobenzene and Diphenylcyclopropenone in Alopecia Areata

The study involved 30 patients with alopecia areata (AA) who were divided into two groups to receive either dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) or diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP) as a treatment. The results indicated that DPCP was significantly more effective, with 86.7% of patients in the DPCP group experiencing substantial hair regrowth (grade III and IV), compared to only 33.3% in the DNCB group. Additionally, complete hair regrowth (grade IV) was achieved by 33.3% of patients in the DPCP group by the sixth month, while only 6.7% of patients in the DNCB group reached this level of regrowth. The study concluded that DPCP is a more effective and better-tolerated treatment for AA than DNCB, with fewer side effects reported, such as blistering and lymphadenopathy in 10% of cases.