An Excellent Response to Tofacitinib in a Pediatric Alopecia Patient: A Case Report and Review

In 2018, a case study was conducted on an 8-year-old male patient suffering from alopecia universalis, a condition characterized by complete hair loss. The patient was initially treated with Clobetasol 0.05% solution and Kenalog 2.5 mg/ml injections, but his condition worsened. The patient, his mother, and the clinician then agreed to try tofacitinib 5 mg twice daily along with continued usage of topical steroids. After three months of treatment, the patient showed complete regrowth of eyebrows and minimal hair growth on the posterior occiput. By the six-month mark, the patient had 100% regrowth of eyebrows and complete scalp regrowth, resulting in a Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score of 0. The patient reported mild headaches as a side effect after six months, leading to discontinuation of treatment. This case study marked the youngest patient ever reported to be successfully treated with oral tofacitinib 5 mg twice daily for alopecia and its variants.