Alopecia areata is a disease that causes hair loss on the scalp, but it can also affect the rest of the body, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, or NIAMS. Unlike typical male pattern baldness, alopecia affects both sexes. It causes hair to fall out in round patches about the size of a quarter. Most people lose only a few patches of hair, but in some, the disease can cause total hair loss on the scalp and even on the rest of the body. Alopecia is thought to be an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the hair roots for unknown reasons. There is no cure for alopecia, but there are some treatments that will restore hair growth for some patients.
Corticosteroids
Corticosteroids work by suppressing the immune system so that it will stop attacking the hair roots and allow hair to grow back, according to NIAMS. These monthly injections target just the patches of hair loss to minimize side effects. New hair growth occurs in about a month when it works, and it's more likely to work for those with mild alopecia, according to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. Injections don't stop new patches of hair loss from developing.
Injections don't work for large areas of hair loss, because they are painful and can cause side effects. For those with extensive hair loss, the drugs can be taken orally, but this can only be done for short periods, as the medicine can cause cataracts and high blood pressure. Regrown hair is likely to fall out when the drugs are stopped, according to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. There are also topical ointments, but the drug is less effective in this form and is usually used to boost the effectiveness of other treatments.
Minoxidil
Minoxidil is a topical drug that has been FDA-approved for male and female hair loss but also sometimes works for alopecia areata, according to NIAMS. A five-percent solution is applied twice a day and can be used on the scalp, brow and beard. It takes about three months for hair to regrow. If the treatment works, it can be stopped once the hair has grown back. But minoxidil does not work for those who have lost all the hair on their head, according to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation.
Anthralin
Anthralin is a topical drug that works by altering the immune system's functions in the skin affected by hair loss, according to NIAMS. It is applied for up to an hour a day to avoid irritation. When it works, hair begins to regrow in two to three months. It's often used to boost the effectiveness of other treatments like corticosteroids or minoxidil.
Topical Irritants
Some topical drugs that provoke an allergic reaction on the scalp can sometimes spur hair regrowth, according to NIAMS. These drugs, including squaric acid dibutyl ester and diphenylcyclopropenone, are sometimes used to treat alopecia. However, it takes about three months to a year for the hair to regrow. The drugs work in about 40 percent of patients, according to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. But the rash caused by the allergic reaction can be uncomfortable, and treatment must be continued long-term in order to maintain hair regrowth.
Cyclosporine
This drug suppresses the immune system and is used to keep transplant patients from rejecting their organs, according to NIAMS. It can spur hair regrowth in alopecia, but it also carries serious side effects including dangerous infections and skin cancer. For this reason, many doctors do not prescribe it, as they consider it too high risk.
Photochemotherapy
Originally developed as a treatment for psoriasis, in photochemotherapy, the patient is given a light-sensitive drug that is activated when exposed to ultraviolet light. The treatment causes hair regrowth in about 55 percent of alopecia patients, according to NIAMS. But the treatment often stops working, and it raises the risk of skin cancer.
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