TLDR A man with severe hair loss saw hair and nail improvement after 10 months on tofacitinib without side effects.
In 2016, a 38-year-old male with alopecia areata universalis experienced significant hair regrowth and nail improvement after 10 months of treatment with tofacitinib, a drug mainly used for rheumatoid arthritis. Despite failing to respond to previous treatments like corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and PUVA therapy, the patient saw hair return on his scalp, face, and body, and his nail structure normalized, which allowed him to play the guitar again. No negative side effects or lab abnormalities were reported. The case indicates tofacitinib's potential as a treatment for AAU with nail changes, though randomized clinical trials are needed for further validation.
Cited in this study
7 / 7 results
24 citations
,
January 2017 in “Acta dermato-venereologica” Tofacitinib helped a young woman's severe hair loss and arthritis but not her plaque psoriasis.
14 citations
,
November 2016 in “Annals of Internal Medicine” Tofacitinib, an arthritis drug, helped hair growth in alopecia universalis but long-term safety needs more research.
39 citations
,
April 2016 in “Case Reports in Dermatology” Tofacitinib temporarily regrew hair in a man with alopecia, but its effects didn't last.
41 citations
,
April 2016 in “JAMA Dermatology” Tofacitinib citrate improved nail dystrophy and pain in patients with alopecia universalis without causing side effects.
185 citations
,
December 2014 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” A man with severe hair loss and skin disease regrew his hair with no side effects after taking tofacitinib.
701 citations
,
August 2014 in “Nature medicine” Alopecia areata can be reversed by JAK inhibitors, promoting hair regrowth.
295 citations
,
April 2006 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology” Alopecia areata, a common autoimmune hair loss condition, often runs in families.
148 citations
,
March 2019 in “Journal of autoimmunity” Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease causing patchy hair loss, often with other autoimmune disorders, but its exact causes are unknown.
6 citations
,
March 2019 in “JAAD case reports” A new mix of anthralin and calcipotriene might help treat severe hair loss.
4 citations
,
November 2018 in “JAAD case reports” Alopecia areata can sometimes appear as a straight line of hair loss instead of round patches.
4 citations
,
July 2018 in “PubMed” Oral and topical tofacitinib can help regrow hair in people with severe alopecia areata.
May 2018 in “Journal of cosmetology & trichology” Combining platelet-rich plasma therapy with prostaglandin-F eye drops can significantly regrow hair in alopecia universalis.
110 citations
,
December 2013 in “The journal of investigative dermatology. Symposium proceedings/The Journal of investigative dermatology symposium proceedings” Alopecia areata is a genetic and immune-related hair loss condition that is often associated with other autoimmune diseases and does not typically cause permanent damage to hair follicles.
