Rodríguez-Acosta ED, Nieto DF, Berna-Rico E, Galván-García HR, Meza-Castro RG, Rosales-Lerma AK, Guerrero-Cervantes AV, Ramírez-Marín HA. Assessing the Efficacy of Monthly 308 nm Excimer Lamp Double-Stacked Pulse Adjusted Therapy for Alopecia Areata.
Skin Appendage Disord 2024;
10:18-25. [PMID:
38313573 PMCID:
PMC10836865 DOI:
10.1159/000533993]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction
Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by T cell-mediated attack on the hair follicle. Although there are a wide range of therapies, the majority of them are not satisfactory due to side effects, pain due to intralesional injections or limited efficacy. In this study, we sought to evaluate the efficacy, influence factors, and safety of 308 nm excimer lamp used in a monthly basis in a double-stacked pulse manner for the treatment of AA.
Methods
This was a prospective study, using 308 nm excimer lamp in a double-stacked pulse therapy for AA. The primary endpoint was the improvement in SALT score.
Results
A total of 40 patients with AA were enrolled in this study. Forty (100%) patients achieved clinical response. Hyperpigmentation and erythema occurred on the treated alopecic areas of all patients but they were considered tolerable. Patients of younger age or with a smaller area of affection had a better overall treatment response.
Conclusion
308 nm excimer lamp therapy is an excellent option for single or multiple AA because it achieves a good clinical response with less adverse effects than other therapies. This therapy may be useful for low-income countries where new JAK inhibitors are not available, however, for patients with extensive hair loss, it is not as effective and thus, it may be unfit for patients with alopecia totalis and alopecia universals.
Collapse