Treatment of alopecia areata with nonablative fractional laser combined with topical minoxidil

BACKGROUND: Alopecia areata (AA) is a relatively common dermatosis with the sudden burst of hair loss on the scalp and other hair-bearing regions. However, because of high relapse and side effects, no satisfactory therapy has been widely accepted. OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficiency and safety of the combination therapy of a nonablative fractional (NAF) laser and topical minoxidil for AA. METHODS: Eight Chinese AA patients were included in this study. These patients received 10 treatments every two weeks. At every time, the subject was given 10 to 15 mJ of energy with a total intensity of 300 spots/cm2 . After the laser treatment, a topical 5% minoxidil tincture was immediately applied twice daily and continued until the final laser treatment. RESULTS: Hair regrowth was observed 1-2 months after treatment. There was complete regrowth in 2 patients, and the lesions of 2 children with alopecia universalis were covered with 30% and 50% regrowth, respectively. All patients except 1 had no relapse at the 1-year follow-up examination. CONCLUSION: The combination of nonablative laser and topical minoxidil may be a good alternative therapy for AA patients, including alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis, without systemic and local side effects.