A promising cure for Alopecia Areata?

The new cure has recently been approved in the United States after decent results in patients affected by severe forms of alopecia areata

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It has been recently approved as a new medicine for treating alopecia areata (not to be confused with MBP), an illness that can cause the total loss of hair on your head and body.

The medicine is named *baricitinib, *originally developed as a cure against rheumatoid arthritis, but it has shown potential in the treatment of alopecia areata and other skin illnesses.

The FDA's approval will make it possible to use baricitinib for various treatments besides rheumatoid arthritis. Two other similar medicines, developed by Concert Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer, could also be approved by the FDA, offering patients more possibilities for curing alopecia areata.

Alopecia Areata: how does it manifest itself?

Generally speaking, alopecia is a process that can reduce the amount and the quality of hair, until they disappear. The causes are still mostly unknown, but researchers point to hormonal, immunity and generic reasons.

The most famous type of alopecia is alopecia androgenetic (also known as MBP), and likely the one that affects the readers of this website the most. This type of alopecia is caused by genetic reasons. It's important to notice that the two are not related, hence this medicine will not help androgenetic alopecia.

Alopecia areata, instead, can manifest itself with a much quicker and sudden hair loss, causing very visible bald spots. In some cases, it will simply resolve by itself; in other more severe cases, it will cause total hair loss, on both the head and even the body.

How does Baricitinib help with alopecia areata?

Baricitinib is an inhibitor of a family of enzymes (JAK) that are responsible for some processes of activation of the immunity system.

These inhibitors are considered excellent ways for treating even some types of cancer and some autoimmune diseases caused by an off-scale response from the immune system, as in the case of rheumatoid arthritis.

Side effects

During the testing phase, no worrying side effects were found by the researchers. Some of the voluntaries found some side effects such as acne and infections. In most cases, these went away with time, without the need for further medication.

Just like all new medicines, it's still important to be cautious in evaluating the benefits, as they can vary greatly from patient to patient.

Remember that none of this website's content is medical advice: always consult a specialist before taking any decision about your health.


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