In this retrospective study of alopecia areata patients across several European countries, researchers observed a notable reduction in SALT scores, but few patients reached or maintained a clinically significant SALT score of ≤20, indicating potentially limited effectiveness of current treatments for extensive hair loss.
June 2024 in “British Journal of Dermatology” This study found that alopecia areata significantly impacts patients' quality of life irrespective of hair loss severity, and concluded that the newer assessment tools AAPPO and AASIS better capture this impact compared to the traditional SALT measure.
November 2025 in “Journal of Clinical Medicine” The researchers reported that baricitinib treatment for at least 52 weeks reduced severe alopecia areata severity and improved psychological well-being and quality of life in study participants.
August 2025 in “Clinical and Experimental Dermatology” This study found that although patients with significant scalp hair loss experienced substantial reductions in Severity of Alopecia Tool scores, few maintained this improvement over time, indicating potential suboptimal effectiveness of current treatments.
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March 2021 in “Dermatology and Therapy” This review discusses the substantial impact of alopecia areata on patients' health-related quality of life, highlighting issues such as personality changes, emotional and social difficulties, and a common occurrence of alexithymia, and emphasizes the need for more specific assessment tools.