Hair Follicle Immune Privilege Revisited: The Key to Alopecia Areata Management

The document discussed the collapse of immune privilege (IP) in the anagen hair bulb as a key factor in the pathogenesis of alopecia areata (AA) and emphasized the importance of restoring hair bulb IP in AA therapy. It reviewed the complexity of hair bulb IP, recent progress in understanding it, and the potential of pharmacological manipulation (e.g., FK506 and α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone analogs) to expand therapeutic options for AA and other autoimmune diseases related to IP collapse. The document highlighted the historical context and the evolving understanding of hair follicle immunology, suggesting that maintaining and repairing hair bulb IP could be crucial for managing AA.