Season 7, Episode 9: Exploring Topical JAK Inhibitors for Scarring Alopecia

Welcome back to another episode of the Evidence-Based Hair Podcast.   This week, we continue our June theme of JAK inhibitors, focusing on the use of topical JAK inhibitors for treating frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) and lichen planopilaris (LPP). In this episode, we delve into a significant study by Dr. Maryanne Senna and colleagues from Boston, exploring the effectiveness and side effects of topical 2% tofacitinib for LPP and FFA. The study, involving 41 patients, provides valuable statistics on improvement and stabilization rates, offering practical insights for clinical application. We discuss the potential of topical JAK inhibitors, given their less systemic absorption compared to oral forms, and their specific relevance to scarring alopecia where inflammation is closer to the skin's surface. Despite some challenges with compounded topical formulations, the study's promising results highlight a third of patients showing improvement and over 60% achieving disease stabilization. Join us as we wrap up our June series on JAK inhibitors and prepare for July, where we'll focus on the antiandrogen spironolactone and its use in androgenetic hair loss in women.   Thank you for tuning in, and I look forward to our next discussion on the Evidence-Based Hair Podcast.   STUDY REFERENCED Li-Chi Chen, Chino Ogbutor, Kristen J Kelley, Maryanne M Senna. Topical tofacitinib for patients with lichen planopilaris and/or frontal fibrosing alopecia. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2024 Jun;90(6):1260-1262. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2024.01.060. Epub 2024 Feb 2.