Abstract

The incidence of primary cicatricial alopecias (PCAs) have risen dramatically in recent decades, however effective treatments for PCAs have lagged. Current treatment options vary widely in their efficacy, and no treatments are able to stimulate hair regrowth in the scarred lesions of PCAs. With increasing knowledge of the pathogenesis of scarring alopecia, new targets for treatment are emerging. This mini-review aims to succinctly summarize the established treatment options as well as the newer investigative therapies and novel targets in the treatment of scarring alopecia. Some of the newer treatment options include JAK inhibitors, naltrexone, photodynamic therapy with perluminescent diodes, platelet-rich plasma, oral fusidic acid, retinoids and thiazolidinediones and TNF-alpha inhibitors. There are also options for surgical hair restoration in patients with controlled, stable disease.