▶ Previous Artlcle : #5-2. Alopecia Areata

 

 

Treatments of Alopecia Areata

 

Treatments for alopecia areata vary, including topical steroid application, topical Minoxidil application, immunotherapy (diphenylcyclopropenone, DPCP), oral steroid, oral cyclosporine, photochemotherapy, etc.

 

It is important to choose the appropriate treatment depending on the age of hair loss onset and the degree of invasion.

 

Treatment of primary alopecia areata limited to the scalp is relatively easy and has a good prognosis.

 

However, in cases of repeated recurrence, a wide range of hair loss (alopecia totalis, alopecia universalis), ophiasis, and onset in young age, due to low treatment response and frequent recurrence, patients may suffer for a long time.

 

 

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1. Local Treatment

 

The methods of using steroids for the treatment of alopecia areata include topical injection, topical application, and systemic administration.

 

Steroids induce improvement of alopecia areata with powerful anti-inflammatory and non-selective immunosuppressive effects.

 

For topical steroid injection, triamcinolone acetonide is mainly used, and it is injected into the lesion at a concentration of 2.5 to 10 mg/mL with a minimum of 2-week intervals.

 

Hair growth can be expected 4 to 8 weeks after the start of treatment.

 

However, if hair growth is not observed even after 6 months of treatment and the lesion progresses, the treatment should be switched to another treatment.

 

Topical steroid application can be selected as the primary treatment method in cases where the range of hair loss is not wide and in children who are difficult to be treated with topical injection. 

 

 

Figure 3. Stages of Alopecia. 

 

 

 

-To be continued