Psychological Aspects of Alopecia Areata Need Focus in the Future: Maria Hordinsky, MD

Looking into the future of alopecia areata will require a focus on the psychological aspects of the skin condition and the safety of giving Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors to children who are younger than 12 years of age, Maria Hordinsky, MD, a professor of dermatology at the University of Minnesota and a featured speaker at the recent Winter Clinical Dermatology meeting, told The American Journal of Managed Care^®.

When asked about the future of alopecia areata, Hordinsky noted that, while some people can manage the loss of hair in a positive manner, many patients are emotionally affected by the concept.

“I can speak directly to a conversation I had with a mother and her 17-year-old daughter yesterday, where the daughter is devastated and unable to function in school,” she said.

Learning about the safety and efficacy of JAK inhibitors is also a paramount concern moving forward, especially as younger children start taking the medications for their alopecia treatment. Hordinsky noted that, in many cases, it is more so the parents who want treatment for their child. Making sure there are safety measures in place before treating these patients for decades will help ensure patients do not experience adverse events that they were not ready for.

Hordinsky encouraged enrolling in registries to monitor the effects of JAK inhibitors for future data collection and interpretation. National and international registries are starting and being monitored throughout the world, which could help with research and the assessment of JAK inhibitors down the line.

“I would encourage anyone who's treating a patient with a Jak inhibitor who has alopecia and the patient has alopecia areata to register patients in these registries,” she concluded. “I think we're only going to learn more about the safety and the ongoing efficacy of these new medications and new approaches through registry data.”