Immunotherapy-Induced Scarring Alopecia: A Case Series

    March 2026 in “ Skin Appendage Disorders ”
    Dorsaf El Inkichari, K. Sboui, Marie Donzel, Emmanuel Ribereau-Gayon, Rima Fathallah, Stéphane Dalle
    TLDR Some patients on immune therapy for melanoma may develop scarring hair loss, but cancer treatment remains effective.
    This case series investigates scarring alopecia in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) for metastatic melanoma. Among 450 patients, 6 developed scarring alopecia, indicating a prevalence of 1.33%. The study describes 4 female patients with a mean age of 64 years, experiencing hair loss onset approximately 29.25 months after starting treatment. Despite the alopecia, treatment was not discontinued, and all patients had favorable cancer outcomes. The study highlights the importance of understanding immune-induced alopecia for patient awareness and suggests further research into the link between treatment efficacy and follicular toxicity.
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