Hair Regrowth in a Patient With Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia After a 2-Month Trial of Baricitinib

A 42-year-old African-American woman with a 5-year history of central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA), a type of hair loss common in African-American women, showed significant hair regrowth after a two-month trial of baricitinib, a Janus Kinase (JAK) inhibitor. The patient had previously been treated with various medications, including oral doxycycline, oral minoxidil, topical halcinonide, and monthly triamcinolone injections, but her condition repeatedly worsened when the injections were extended beyond once a month. After two years, inflammation symptoms returned despite treatment adherence. The patient was then put on a trial of baricitinib, and after one month, her symptoms resolved. After two months, hair regrowth was noted in the area of her scalp affected by CCCA. This case suggests that JAK inhibitors like baricitinib could potentially be effective treatment options for CCCA, although further research is needed to understand their role in the disease's pathogenesis.