A Comparative Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intralesional Triamcinolone Acetonide and Platelet-Rich Plasma in Alopecia Areata at a Tertiary Health-Care Centre

This study compared the effects of intralesional triamcinolone acetonide (TAC) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in treating patchy alopecia areata in 60 patients. Both treatments improved hair regrowth, but TAC showed faster early reduction in hair loss severity. At 12 weeks, 46.7% of TAC patients showed excellent improvement compared to 33.3% of PRP patients. However, by 9 months, the efficacy of both treatments was similar. TAC was associated with side effects like skin atrophy and hypopigmentation, and a higher relapse rate (26.7%) compared to PRP (10%). PRP demonstrated a better safety profile and lower relapse rate, making it a viable steroid-sparing alternative for long-term management.