Abstract
The present study aimed to determine appropriate treatment for alopecia areata. We examined the clinical forms of alopecia areata and atopic diathesis and compared the content and results of treatment between 383 patients with hair loss (n=236) and atopic diathesis (n=142) at the time of the first presentation. The types of hair loss were mono, 34; oligo, 60; poly, 146; diffuse, 52; totalis, 15; universalis, 61; and ophasis, 12. Topical squaric acid dibutylester was administered to 138 patients; 126 received local injections of triamcinolone acetonide; and 126 were treated with cryotherapy. The convalescence rate was 23% among all 383 patients, 44% in those who had the mono pattern, and 20% in the others. Oral steroid combined with psoralen plus UVA irradiation was considered for patients with hair loss at the first presentation. The oral steroid was very effective, but the rate of recurrence was high among patients with atopic diathesis. We concluded that oral steroid is not indicated for patients with alopecia areata and atopic diathesis.
