TLDR Simvastatin/ezetimibe did not effectively treat severe alopecia areata and caused side effects in some patients.
In a study from 2017 involving 12 patients with severe forms of alopecia areata, treatment with simvastatin/ezetimibe 40/10 mg over a 6-month period was found to be ineffective. The majority of patients (67%) experienced no hair regrowth, while some had transient or patchy regrowth (24%) that was not cosmetically satisfactory. Additionally, 24% of the patients reported adverse effects such as myalgia, and one patient had an elevation of creatine phosphokinase. The study concluded that simvastatin/ezetimibe is not an effective treatment for alopecia areata, particularly in severe cases or those refractory to other treatments, and the potential serious side effects should be carefully considered against the questionable benefits.
701 citations,
August 2014 in “Nature medicine” Alopecia areata can be reversed by JAK inhibitors, promoting hair regrowth.
185 citations,
June 2014 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” A man with severe hair loss and skin disease regrew his hair with no side effects after taking tofacitinib.
717 citations,
June 2010 in “Nature” Alopecia areata involves both innate and adaptive immunity, with specific genes linked to the disease.
164 citations,
April 2008 in “Cochrane library” Current treatments for alopecia show no significant long-term benefits.
295 citations,
January 2006 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology” Alopecia areata, a common autoimmune hair loss condition, often runs in families.
6 citations,
March 2019 in “JAAD case reports” A new mix of anthralin and calcipotriene might help treat severe hair loss.
148 citations,
December 2018 in “Journal of autoimmunity” Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease causing patchy hair loss, often with other autoimmune disorders, but its exact causes are unknown.
4 citations,
November 2018 in “JAAD case reports” Alopecia areata can sometimes appear as a straight line of hair loss instead of round patches.
May 2018 in “Journal of cosmetology & trichology” Combining platelet-rich plasma therapy with prostaglandin-F eye drops can significantly regrow hair in alopecia universalis.
110 citations,
December 2013 in “The journal of investigative dermatology. Symposium proceedings/The Journal of investigative dermatology symposium proceedings” Alopecia areata is a genetic and immune-related hair loss condition that is often associated with other autoimmune diseases and does not typically cause permanent damage to hair follicles.
