There is a cure for the second cause of baldness – alopecia areata

2% of the population suffers from a type of absolute and chronic alopecia, which appears suddenly, affects men and women and in 20% of cases appears before the age of 18. This is alopecia areata, the second most common type of baldness after regular baldness, but it remains little known. 70% of Spaniards say they don’t know what it is. Given this, survivors suffer from misunderstanding, social rejection or shame, which has a strong emotional impact on their lives.

But after many years without an effective treatment for hair restoration, Litfulo (ritlecitinib) is now available in Spain, the first and only treatment indicated for severe alopecia areata in adults and adolescents over 12 years of age.

The results of the ALLEGRO clinical trial, which involved six Spanish hospitals, show that after a year, 50% of patients regained 80% of their hair, including eyebrows and eyelashes, “which was not achieved with other drugs or, if achieved, with therapy there were so many side effects that the treatment had to be suspended, but Litfulo has a better safety profile, which will allow them to take it for a longer time,” explains Sergio Vagno, dermatologist and director of the Alopecia Treatment Center. Department of the Ramón y Cajal University Hospital.

The problem with alopecia areata is that it occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the hair follicles at the hair roots, causing hair loss on both the scalp and the rest of the body. And it is a chronic disease, although patients regain hair because the disease has subsided or due to treatment with corticosteroids, topical medications or immunosuppressants, they develop rashes.