Laura Maria Andrade Silveira
Federal University of Bahia, Brazil
Title: What is new in the evaluation and treatment of alopecia and hair-related disorders?
Biography
Biography: Laura Maria Andrade Silveira
Abstract
Hair loss is a common and distressing symptom, affecting men and women. Genetic hair loss is the most common. Telogen effluvium, which causes hair shedding is common cause of hair loss, may develop after crash dieting, medication intake, illness and childbirth. Alopecia areata is found in about 1.7% of the population. Most cases start during childhood and present as a chronic disease throughout life. Other causes are associated with hair breakage, can be genetic or related with hair care treatments. The objective of this presentation is to synthetize what is new in diagnosis and treatment of all this conditions as digital trichogram and trichoscopy evaluation, Janus Kinase (JAK) inhibitors and platelet rich plasma. Evaluation of hair shedding was traditionally realized by physical exam, blood tests and trichogram. Recently a new toll was release to dermatology as an improvement of dermatoscopy and trichoscopy. This new method is really useful in diagnosis of almost all hair conditions, genetic disorders and acquired conditions but digital trichogram seems not to be as practical and useful as the trichoscopy. It is an expensive method in comparison of the traditional method and not as sensible as the old one. Inhibitors of the Janus Kinase (JAK) seem to be a new promise treatment for alopecia areata and other hair disorders. Recently it was demonstrated that topical treatment of mouse and human skin with small-molecule inhibitors of the JAK pathway results in rapid onset of anagen and subsequent hair growth. It seems that JAK inhibition regulates the activation of key hair follicle populations. Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is another promise therapy for a genetic hair loss and a lot of other kinds of hair disease. It is being increasingly used in medical treatments around the world. PRP has been used by physicians since the 1990′s in various areas of medicine which seems to help about 50% of men with hair thinning, especial when hair transplantation is not an option but also can be used in alopecia areata and telogen effluvium.