Advances in the Management of Alopecia Areata

December 2011 in “ The Journal of Dermatology ”

Taisuke Ito

alopecia areata alopecia totalis alopecia universalis contact immunotherapy corticosteroid therapies antihistamines photochemotherapy minoxidil high-dose corticosteroid therapy cryotherapy carpronium chloride hydrate AA AT AU Rogaine

From the encyclopedia

Alopecia Areata →

autoimmune disorder causing patchy hair loss

Minoxidil →

An essential vasodilator with some anti-androgenic effects

Carpronium chloride hydrate →

Studysummary This review discusses updated treatment guidelines for alopecia areata in Japan, highlighting new options like corticosteroid pulse therapy, but reports no new clinical results.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

The 2011 document reviews the management of alopecia areata (AA), indicating that while up to 80% of patients with limited patchy AA may see spontaneous remission within a year, more severe cases like alopecia totalis/universalis (AT/AU) often do not improve and have high treatment failure rates. It outlines various treatments, including contact immunotherapy, corticosteroid therapies, antihistamines, photochemotherapy, and minoxidil, with high-dose corticosteroid therapy showing 67% of patients with recent-onset multifocal AA achieving over 50% hair regrowth. The Japanese guideline is introduced, offering treatment plans based on age and disease extent, and recommending different approaches for patients under and over 15 years old. The document emphasizes the importance of proper diagnosis and that treatment decisions should consider the patient's age, hair loss type, disease course, and personal preferences. It also notes the lack of robust trials for some therapies used in Japan, such as cryotherapy and carpronium chloride hydrate, despite the latter showing significant effects in a placebo-controlled randomized trial.

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Research cited in this study

32 / 32 results

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