Study of Therapeutic Comparison of Tacrolimus 0.1% and Minoxidil 2% in Alopecia Areata

In a study conducted from December 2010 to November 2011, 75 patients with alopecia areata were treated with either tacrolimus 0.1% ointment or minoxidil 2% solution. By the end of the study, 69 patients had completed the treatment, with 35 in the minoxidil group and 34 in the tacrolimus group. The results showed that 65.71% of patients treated with minoxidil 2% had a regrowth score of 3 or more, compared to 44.12% of patients treated with tacrolimus 0.1%. The study concluded that minoxidil 2% was more effective in stimulating hair growth than tacrolimus 0.1% in treating mild to moderate patchy alopecia areata. Both treatments had minimal side effects, but the study suggested that a combination treatment might yield better results.