Treatment options for alopecia areata

Abstract

Alopecia areata (AA) is a common dermatosis characterized by a chronic and unpredictable course. Treatment options aim at hair regrowth and control of remissions. The evaluation of the effectiveness of various existing therapeutic methods is confined by the lack of consensus on a grading system for AA, as well as the absence of a treating algorithm depending on the severity of AA. Therapeutic agents used in the treatment of AA include topical and systemic corticosteroids, minoxidil, anthralin, phototherapy and topical immunotherapy. Intralesional corticosteroid injections are widely used as therapy for patchy alopecia exhibiting good efficacy and tolerance by patients. Topical immunotherapy with the use of diphencyprone or squaric acid dibutylester has well-proven efficacy both in localized and extended disease. Other modalities, such as topical calciceurin inhibitors and biologic agents, have been used with limited success.