Segmental Vitiligo and Hair Curling After Interferon Alpha and Ribavirin Treatment for Hepatitis C

In 2006, a case study described a 60-year-old woman who developed segmental vitiligo and generalized curling of her scalp hair after treatment with interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C virus infection. The depigmentation appeared ten months after the cessation of treatment and was successfully treated with a 308-nm excimer laser. The study discussed the association of interferon alpha therapy with multiple cutaneous side effects, including vitiligo and various hair disorders. The exact pathogenesis of the patient's hair curling was unclear, and while the role of ribavirin could not be completely dismissed, the occurrence of vitiligo and hair abnormalities in other cases where ribavirin was not used suggested that interferon alpha was the more likely cause. The patient's antihypertensive drugs were not known to cause such abnormalities, although spironolactone's hormonal effects could potentially affect hair growth. The case highlighted the potential for interferon alpha to induce immune or neural mechanisms leading to dermatological manifestations.