Alopecia areata - basic disease characteristics and an overview of current and new treatment options
Abstract
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder of the hair follicle typically presenting as circular, patchy hair loss on the head, but the disease can affect all body hair and lead to complete hair loss. Diagnosis is based on clinical features and is made by trichoscopy and histopathological examination.
The most common treatment is local or intralesional application of corticosteroids. Topical immunomodulators such as diphencyprone or dithranol are suitable for more progressive forms.
Systemic immunosupresive drugs have some adverse effects and after finishing treatment there is a risk of relapse. Of the new therapeutic options in the near future, the most promising targeted treatment appears to be JAK inhibitors.
Other, still experimental methods are fecal microbial transplantation or biological treatment by exosomes.