Hair Transplantation for Therapy-Resistant Alopecia Areata of the Eyebrows: Is It the Right Choice?
August 2010
in “
Journal of Dermatology
”
TLDR Hair transplantation can effectively treat stable eyebrow hair loss in alopecia areata patients.
In the 2010 study, a 24-year-old male with therapy-resistant alopecia areata of the eyebrows underwent a hair transplantation using the follicular unit extraction (FUE) technique after failing to respond to various medical treatments, including PUVA therapy. The patient, who had lost all body hair, had stable alopecia areata for 18 months before occipital hairs were transplanted to his eyebrows. One year after the operation, 40% hair regrowth was observed, which increased to 80% at the 2-year mark, although the medial regions of the eyebrows were more resistant to regrowth. The patient did not receive any postoperative alopecia treatments and reported a 90% satisfaction rate with the procedure at the 24-month follow-up. The study concluded that hair transplantation can be a successful and cosmetically acceptable treatment for stable alopecia areata of the eyebrows, despite the controversial nature of this approach for the condition.