Dermatologist: "With alopecia areata, discomfort and high costs, modernize guidelines"

For many years there were no specific treatments, today new therapeutic options have improved the approach and patients feel more understood

"The guidelines are out of date and for patients suffering from alopecia areata the path to treatment often becomes expensive and tortuous". Antonio Costanzo, head of the Dermatology Unit at the Humanitas hospital in Rozzano, has no doubts and, during a course on the topic held in Milan, explained the discomfort of people suffering from this autoimmune disease. A pathology that according to some estimates, affects 2% of the population, 147 million people in the world: "The discomfort - continues Costanzo - is not only linked to the appearance of patches on the scalp (roundish in shape, asymptomatic) and the loss of eyelashes, but also to the application of therapies, topical ones, often ineffective compared to systemic ones".

During the course, organized with the technical support of Dynamicom Education and the unconditional support of Eli Lilly Italia and Laboratoires Dermatologique Ducray, the dermatologist illustrated the therapeutic options available today: "The use of Jak inhibitors - recalls Costanzo - has modified and improved the therapy of the most extensive forms. An approach that includes comorbidities and quality of life issues shared with patient associations and with the patients themselves who participated as an active part. In this way, people affected by alopecia areata finally feel understood and no longer isolated and with treatments that drag on too long".

Dermatologist Narcisi, 'For many years there were no specific drugs available'

"Alopecia areata - adds Dr. Alessandra Narcisi, dermatologist of the Dermatology Unit of Humanitas - has represented for many years a pathology for which it was not possible to provide a specific drug, since depending on the different involvements of the pathology only cream and topical cortisone could be used, while the classic systemic immunosuppressants were off label and often not effective. At this time, thanks to new research in the pharmacological field, a new effective and safe therapy can be offered to our patients with severe or total alopecia areata capable of repopulating the alopecia patches with hair".

The course organized in Milan was "useful for sharing one's experience and collaborating directly with patient associations, in order to identify strategies to improve the quality of care offered. Patients, on the other hand, had the opportunity to express their needs through sessions led by the Italian Association of Alopecia Patients and Friends (Aipaf), thus allowing a more complete vision of the challenges and needs faced daily", said the specialists.