Tumor Necrosis Factor α Inhibitor-Induced Alopecia in Pediatric Patients: A Cohort of 20 Patients and Review of the Literature

June 2025 in “ Archives of Dermatological Research ”

Shiran Reiss‐Huss, Daniel Hilewitz, Sharon Yacobovitz, Manar Matar, Yael Weintraub, Dror S. Shouval, Chani Topf‐Olivestone, Lev Pavlovsky, Rotem Tal, Gil Amarilyo, Yael Renert‐Yuval, Rivka Friedland

tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitors alopecia psoriatic-like inflammatory alopecia inflammatory bowel diseases TNFα inhibitors

TLDR Stopping TNFα inhibitors can help children regrow hair lost due to the medication.

A study involving 20 pediatric patients (mean age 12.9 years) treated with TNFα inhibitors revealed that drug-induced alopecia is a rare but notable adverse event, primarily affecting adolescents with inflammatory bowel diseases. The study found that 90% of patients developed psoriatic-like inflammatory alopecia, and 85% discontinued TNFα therapy, resulting in hair regrowth within six months. The findings suggest that cessation of TNFα inhibitors is necessary to improve alopecia outcomes in affected children. The study's results align with existing literature, highlighting the importance of monitoring and managing this side effect in pediatric patients.

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