Oral Isotretinoin as the Most Effective Treatment in Folliculitis Decalvans: A Retrospective Comparison of Different Treatment Regimens in 28 Patients

The study retrospectively compared the efficacy of different treatments for folliculitis decalvans in 28 patients. It found that the combination of clindamycin and rifampicin had the lowest success rate, with 80% of patients relapsing shortly after treatment. Clarithromycin and dapsone had better long-term remission rates of 33% and 43%, respectively. However, oral isotretinoin was the most effective, achieving stable remission in 90% of patients during and up to two years after treatment. The study concluded that the common use of antibiotics as first-line therapy should be re-evaluated, and oral isotretinoin should be considered a valid alternative.