There is no cure for
alopecia areata, but many healthcare professionals recommend medications that are normally approved for other purposes to help accelerate hair growth. Although these treatments can help promote hair growth, none of them can cure the disease or prevent future hair loss.
Alopecia areata treatments generally consist of oral medications, topical ointments, and photochemotherapy.
Corticosteroids, anti-inflammatory drugs that suppress the immune system, are a popular choice for the treatment of alopecia areata. Corticosteroids can be administered as injections, oral pills, or topical ointments.
Other topical medications, such as minoxidil or anthralin, are also commonly used for treating alopecia areata.
Cyclosporine and
sulfasalazine are drugs that can help suppress the immune system in people with alopecia areata.
In photochemotherapy, a person is given a light-sensitive drug (called a psoralen) either orally or topically and is then exposed to an ultraviolet light source. In clinical trials, approximately 55 percent of people achieve cosmetically acceptable hair growth by using photochemotherapy.
(Click Treat Alopecia Areata for a more complete list of alopecia areata treatments, including detailed information on their success rates and a description of how each form of treatment is administered.)
Add this article to your Favorites
Email this article
Print