Alopecia Universalis Tofacitinib Study Regrows Hair for Bald Man

added 22nd November 2016

In the latest study into using JAK inhibitor drugs to treat various forms of Alopecia Areata, a patient has managed to regrow a large amount of hair despite having Alopecia Universalis.

He was part of a small clinical trial at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil, investigating the use of oral tofacitinib for severe autoimmune alopecia. Two patients took part and were treated using the drug for two months. They were then followed for a further nine months to monitor their responses. No notable side effects were reported during this time.

Tofacitinib is also known by its brand name Xeljanz and is already available as a prescription medication used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. This is also an autoimmune condition.

The results were published in the Annals of Internal Medicine journal and his ‘before and after’ treatment photos can be seen here. They show his hair growth progress before starting and then ten months into the trial.

This encouraging progress backs on-going studies at top universities across America where they have been exploring tofacitinib and other JAK inhibitors – both orally and topically – as potential treatments for Alopecia Areata and its related conditions. They have also reported how patients using a tofacitinib cream have managed to grow their eyebrows back too. Eyebrows, eyelashes and facial hair can all be lost to Alopecia Totalis whilst all this plus body hair can be lost to Alopecia Universalis.

This is the latest breakthrough to give hope to the many sufferers of the autoimmune disorders Alopecia Totalis and Universalis which both cause total scalp baldness. No hair loss treatment or cure is yet viable in these cases so the news of JAK inihibitor drug developments, especially in relation to treating these intense forms of Alopecia Areata, is being watched with interest by those affected as well as the medical and trichology community.

It is hoped that the research taking place into using these drugs to tackle alopecia areata may also lead to a new treatment for genetic hair loss in due course.