11 citations
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January 2020 in “Dermatologica Sinica” This study found that tofacitinib effectively promoted hair regrowth in Asian patients with severe alopecia areata, with 74.3% showing a clinical response.
9 citations
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October 2021 in “International Journal of Dermatology” This study found that tofacitinib effectively induced hair regrowth in 62.2% of severe alopecia areata patients in Saudi Arabia after six months, with higher baseline Severity of Alopecia Tool scores and past steroid use linked to reduced response.
7 citations
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August 2023 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology” This source reports that the approval of baricitinib and ritlecitinib, which are JAK inhibitors, has marked a significant advancement in treating severe alopecia areata (AA), and suggests that additional treatments with new mechanisms may further improve patient outcomes in the future.
3 citations
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May 2023 in “Precision clinical medicine” This study analyzed gene expression data to identify key genes involved in severe forms of alopecia areata, discovering four immune monitoring genes (LGR5, SHISA2, HOXC13, S100A3) with potential for early diagnosis and better understanding of the disease's biological mechanisms.
2 citations
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October 2024 in “Dermatology and Therapy” In this study, dermatologists expressed low satisfaction with traditional treatments for severe alopecia areata, noting that some patients stop treatment due to disease worsening, indicating a need for more effective options.
1 citations
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September 2025 in “Clinical Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology” Upadacitinib is effective and safe for treating severe Alopecia Areata in adolescents.
1 citations
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April 2019 in “Acta Medica Philippina” This review discusses emerging evidence on azathioprine's efficacy and safety for severe alopecia areata, reporting sustained response in many patients but emphasizing the need for controlled trials.
June 2026 in “Journal of health economics and outcomes research” This study found that ritlecitinib 50 mg offered a lower cost per responder than baricitinib 2 or 4 mg for treating severe alopecia areata at Weeks 24 and 52, potentially influencing reimbursement decisions.
March 2026 in “Dermatology and Therapy” This study identified distinct plasma miRNA profiles in alopecia areata that may aid in diagnosis and therapy, but further validation is needed to confirm these exploratory findings.
March 2026 in “Dermatology and Therapy” In this study, researchers found that patients with severe alopecia areata often experience reduced health-related quality of life, with significant levels of anxiety and depression, and these mental health impacts may correlate with the severity of their condition.
November 2025 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” This case series observed that five Black pediatric patients with moderate to severe alopecia areata showed significant hair regrowth and minimal disease activity after treatment with topical JAK inhibitors, vitamin D supplementation, and antihistamines, with additional therapies in some cases.
July 2025 in “Preprints.org” This study observed distinct plasma miRNA profiles in alopecia areata, identifying several miRNAs downregulated in both mild and severe forms; machine learning models demonstrated strong predictive accuracy, and kinase inhibitors were suggested as promising therapeutic targets based on pathway analysis.
April 2025 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology” In this study, researchers found that azathioprine significantly improved hair regrowth in patients with moderate to severe alopecia areata over 10 years, with hair loss decreasing from 74.2% to 5.2% and demonstrating long-term safety and efficacy.
November 2024 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology” This study found that baricitinib, a Janus kinase inhibitor, was more effective than traditional treatments for severe alopecia areata, with higher rates of significant hair regrowth after 6 months, despite mild-to-moderate side effects and some instances of weight gain.
In this study, baricitinib was used as monotherapy to treat a 21-year-old woman with severe alopecia areata, resulting in significant hair regrowth and reduced alopecia severity within three months, suggesting its effectiveness and potential as a robust treatment option for this condition.
December 2023 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology” This study found that baricitinib, taken for 24 weeks, significantly reduced alopecia severity in patients with moderate-to-severe alopecia areata, with 50% showing marked improvement and overall favorable safety and efficacy reported.
November 2023 in “JEADV Clinical Practice” In this study, adults with severe alopecia areata experienced greater improvements in hair regrowth, health-related quality of life, and reduced anxiety and depression symptoms after 36 weeks of treatment with baricitinib compared to placebo.
June 2023 in “Dermatology and therapy” This study found that most dermatologists in the Middle East manage mild to severe alopecia areata primarily with potent topical corticosteroids and identified long-term disease control and improved efficacy as key unmet needs.
July 2021 in “Journal of dermatology & dermatologic surgery” In this study, two patients with severe alopecia areata who did not respond well to oral tofacitinib showed more than 50% hair regrowth after a single dose of intramuscular triamcinolone acetonide.
June 2026 in “Clinical Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology” This study found that escalating baricitinib to 6 mg daily improved hair loss in 75% of patients with severe refractory alopecia areata who responded poorly to standard treatments, while also noting manageable short-term safety concerns under close monitoring.
1 citations
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April 2007 in “The FASEB Journal” In this study, D6D knockout mice showed severe deficiency in AA and DHA, leading to unexpected effects on skin health, fertility, and immune cell development.
1 citations
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January 2004 in “Linchuang pifuke zazhi” This study found that topical cyclosporin-A may lead to moderate recovery in patients with severe or refractory alopecia areata, particularly in focal type cases.
37 citations
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November 2011 in “Photodermatology Photoimmunology & Photomedicine” This study found that narrowband UVB phototherapy alone is not very effective for severe alopecia areata, with improved responses noted primarily in patients also receiving corticosteroid injections.
November 2025 in “Turkish Journal of Dermatology” In this study, retrospective analysis of patients with severe alopecia areata showed that oral JAK inhibitors, tofacitinib and baricitinib, reduced hair loss significantly, with comparable effectiveness; longer tofacitinib use was linked to greater improvement, while baricitinib achieved substantial outcomes quickly.
55 citations
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April 2015 in “BMC medicine” This study found that the Stem Cell Educator therapy improved hair regrowth and quality of life in patients with severe alopecia areata by restoring immune balance and protecting hair follicles from autoimmune damage.
31 citations
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January 1987 in “Dermatology” This study reports that topical minoxidil led to normalization of hair follicle characteristics in 36 of 47 severe alopecia areata patients, and indicated a shift in T cell populations, suggesting potential immunomodulatory effects.
14 citations
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August 2019 in “Clinical and Experimental Dermatology” This study suggests that combining microneedling with ALA-photodynamic therapy may be a promising treatment option for moderate to severe alopecia areata, achieving significant hair regrowth in some patients.
12 citations
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July 2012 in “Journal of cutaneous medicine and surgery” This study reported that adalimumab was well tolerated in patients with severe alopecia areata but did not lead to significant hair regrowth.
11 citations
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February 2021 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology” This retrospective pilot study found that oral tofacitinib was more effective in treating alopecia areata than alopecia universalis, but relapses were common after treatment cessation.
11 citations
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June 2019 in “Journal of dermatology” This source reports that recent research highlights the effectiveness and tolerability of oral JAK inhibitors for treating moderate to severe alopecia areata, although further placebo-controlled studies are needed to confirm their long-term safety and efficacy.