TLDR Tofacitinib was effective in treating hair loss in two patients with alopecia universalis.
In a 2016 study, two patients with alopecia universalis (AU) were treated with tofacitinib citrate at a dosage of 5 mg twice daily for eight months. The first patient, a 42-year-old male, showed significant beard growth by 3 months, hair growth throughout the body by 6 months, and the development of eyebrows and eyelashes by 8 months. The second patient experienced noticeable scalp hair regrowth after just 1 month, significant scalp regrowth by 4 months, and regrowth of eyelashes, eyebrows, beard, axillary, and isolated leg hair by 8 months. Neither patient reported significant adverse side effects. The study concluded that tofacitinib was effective in treating AU in these patients and suggested further research to confirm its safety and efficacy.
52 citations,
September 2014 in “Nature medicine” JAK inhibitors might help treat alopecia areata.
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August 2014 in “Nature medicine” Alopecia areata can be reversed by JAK inhibitors, promoting hair regrowth.
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June 2014 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” A man with severe hair loss and skin disease regrew his hair with no side effects after taking tofacitinib.
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April 2012 in “The New England Journal of Medicine” Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune condition causing hair loss with no cure and treatments that often don't work well.
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December 2007 in “American Journal of Pathology” Stress-related substance P may lead to hair loss and negatively affect hair growth.
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January 2018 in “Acta dermato-venereologica” Tofacitinib works better and is more tolerable for severe alopecia than conventional treatments and DPCP immunotherapy.
8 citations,
January 2017 in “Dermatology online journal” Tofacitinib helped psoriasis but not alopecia universalis, needing more research.