Alopecia areata is a common form of immune-mediated alopecia in which autoimmune attack of the hair follicles causes hair loss without scarring, which is characterized by the appearance of round, hairless areas on the scalp. Current treatments including glucocorticoids (topical, intralesional, and systemic), minoxidil, anthralin, other immunosuppressive agents, and contact immunotherapy have variable efficacy for severe disease. Other treatments include methotrexate (immune suppressants) and cyclosporine (calcineurin inhibitors) but their benefit may be too small and inconsistent to justify their use given their possible side effects. Currently there are only 2 drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration to be given as alopecia drugs, namely Minoxidil and Finasteride. Although alopecia areata is a common condition in dermatological practice, the management of this disease can be challenging because of the degree of severity and susceptibility to treatment resistance that patients can experience. This study aims to present the potential of herbal medicine as a treatment for alopecia areata. This literature review uses secondary data in the form of research journals related to the topic through PubMed, Google Scholar and Sciencedirect for a period of 5 years from 2018 to 2022. Herbal medicine has the potential as an alternative in cases of alopecia areata and can improve patient recovery.

alopecia areata

herbal medicine