The Therapeutic Potential of Hydroxychloroquine in Treating Autoimmune Alopecias

July 2025 in “ Revista Eletrônica Acervo Científico ”

MARIA IZADORA DE CALDAS FRANCELINO, Lucíola Abílio Diniz Melquíades de Medeiros Rolim, Milena Nunes Alves de Sousa, Luma Carolina da Costa Cordeiro

hydroxychloroquine autoimmune alopecias scarring alopecias frontal fibrosing alopecia inflammation HCQ

TLDR Hydroxychloroquine is most effective for scarring alopecias, especially when combined with other treatments.

This integrative literature review analyzed the therapeutic potential of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in treating autoimmune alopecias, selecting 29 relevant articles. The findings indicate that HCQ's efficacy varies among different types of autoimmune alopecias, with the most significant benefits observed in scarring alopecias, such as frontal fibrosing alopecia, where it helps stabilize the condition, especially when combined with other therapies. HCQ demonstrated a favorable safety profile and effectiveness in reducing inflammation with prolonged use. However, its results in non-scarring alopecias were inconsistent, limiting its application to refractory cases.

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