Treatment Outcomes of Triamcinolone Acetonide Compared with Cryotherapy in Alopecia Areata: Evidence from a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

January 2026 in “ Dermatology Practical & Conceptual ”

Shams Samih Ahmad Albarari, Taher Ahid Aisidat, Ayman Musleh, Sudeep Edpuganti

triamcinolone acetonide cryotherapy alopecia areata intralesional triamcinolone acetonide IL-TAC hair regrowth skin atrophy patchy hair loss steroid injection cold therapy

TLDR Triamcinolone acetonide is more effective than cryotherapy for hair regrowth in alopecia areata but has different side effects.

The systematic review and meta-analysis involving 640 patients across five trials found that intralesional triamcinolone acetonide (IL-TAC) significantly increased the likelihood of achieving ≥50% hair regrowth in patchy alopecia areata compared to cryotherapy, with a risk ratio of 1.57. IL-TAC was associated with injection-site pain and skin atrophy, while cryotherapy caused transient pain, swelling, and bullae. Despite IL-TAC's effectiveness, both treatments have distinct tolerability profiles, and further high-quality trials with standardized protocols and long-term follow-up are recommended to confirm these findings.

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