All You Need To Know about Treatments for Alopecia Areata (Part II)




In our previous post, we gave a review of the most common treatment options for alopecia areata - steroid injections, topical steroid medications, and Minoxidil. Today, we are going to consider other types of medical approaches, namely, topical immunotherapy and the drug Dithranol, which are also used to address this little understood hair loss condition – alopecia areata.


In fact, topical immunotherapy is currently considered as the most effective treatment for alopecia areata, especially if the disease is severe. However, not all dermatologists are skilful in performing immunotherapy procedures; this is why it is not always easy to find a qualified doctor who would agree to treat your hair loss condition using this revolutionary method.

How this methods works is not clearly understood. During the procedure, a chemical allergen, most often, a substance called diphencyprone, or DPCP, is applied onto bald patches, which causes the scalp to response with an allergic reaction developing dermatitis, itchiness, and localized inflammation. Somehow, this inflammatory response affects the very cause of alopecia areata making the hair follicles regenerate, regain its strength, and produce new hair. To obtain a pronounced result, DPCP treatments are performed on a regular basis, usually, once a week, and the strength of the chemical gradually increases.

Although topical immunotherapy in many cases generates complete regrowth of hair and seems to cure the underlying cause of alopecia areata, this procedure is controversial since it can also produce many side effects, including severe allergic reactions and difficult to cure topical eczema. It is not recommended to apply this treatment to children.

During clinical trials, topical immunotherapy showed good results, with almost 80 percent success rate after several years of treatment. Typically, initial hair regrowth was noticeable already after the first two months of treatment. Once some hair improvement has been achieved, the procedures are discontinued but, in most cases, hair loss does not return and the hair tends to further improve over a period of time. However, regular immunotherapy maintenance, usually once in a season, is recommended to completely win over alopecia areata.

Besides steroids, Minoxidil and topical immunotherapy, there is another drug, called Dithranol, which can be used to treat patchy hair loss. This medication does not work as effectively as steroid injections or DPCP, but in one clinical study it has shown close to dramatic results in improving alopecia areata.

Dithranol should be applied every day on the affected scalp areas and left for about one hour, after which the medication should be washed off. Treatment is effective in approximately 25 percent of cases resulting in a steady hair regrowth after several months of daily topical applications. However, this drug is messy to use and it may also have some undesirable side effects, such as itchiness, scalp inflammation, or scaling.

Richard Dunn

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Posted on July 31, 2008 
Filed Under Hair Loss Treatments

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