Treatment of Steroid-Resistant Beard-Restricted Alopecia Areata with Baricitinib
March 2024
in “
Skin
”
TLDR Baricitinib helped treat a man's beard hair loss when steroids didn't work.
The document presents a case of successful treatment of steroid-resistant beard alopecia areata (BAA), an autoimmune disorder causing localized hair loss, with baricitinib, a JAK-1/2 inhibitor, in a 37-year-old male. Previous treatments, including topical ruxolitinib and intralesional steroids, had been unsuccessful. Over a period of 9 months, the patient was treated with baricitinib (4 mg daily) and oral minoxidil, which resulted in reduced alopecic patches, increased hair density, and resolved inflammation. This case highlights the potential of JAK inhibitors for treating BAA and emphasizes the need for clear treatment guidelines to optimize patient outcomes.