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Five updates for Alopecia Areata Awareness Month

Alopecia areata affects up to 6.8 million people in the U.S. and carries a 2.1% lifetime risk, according to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. The foundation has dubbed September “Alopecia Areata Awareness Month” to increase awareness, spread empowerment and raise funds for research into this polygenic autoimmune disease.

In honor of this awareness month, Healio Dermatology has compiled the following recent articles that explore treatment pathways and the latest research in alopecia areata.

JAK inhibitor promotes hair growth in both men, women with androgenetic alopecia

Inflammation plays a key role in male and female pattern hair loss, Neal Walker, DO, president and CEO of Aclaris Therapeutics, said in an interview with Healio Dermatology regarding results from a phase 2 open-label clinical trial in patients with androgenetic alopecia. Read more

Top-line results show efficacy of LED cap for androgenetic alopecia

Data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial demonstrated that Revian Red – an LED cap for the treatment of androgenic alopecia — may stop hair loss and subsequently grow new hair, according to a press release. Read more

Systemic therapy with JAK inhibitors may be future of alopecia areata treatment

There are no reliable, effective therapies for severe disease in alopecia areata; however, systemically administered Janus kinase inhibitors hold potential for the treatment of the condition, as well as vitiligo, according to a presenter at the AAD Summer Meeting. Read more

Hidradenitis suppurativa increases risk for alopecia

In a study investigating the relationship between hidradenitis suppurativa and alopecia areata in a U.S. sample, those with hidradenitis suppurativa had a significantly higher risk for alopecia of any type and also lichen planopilaris. Read more

Cyclosporin ‘moderately effective’ at inducing remission of alopecia areata

Adults with moderate to severe alopecia areata treated with cyclosporin had a greater reduction in Severity of Alopecia Tool score over time when compared with a placebo group in a randomized trial. Read more