Off-Label Treatment of Alopecia Areata: Retrospective Study

    February 2026 in “ Biomedicines ”
    Julia Sternicka-Rohde, Leszek Bieniaszewski, Natalia Krzyżaniak, R. Nowicki, Dorota Purzycka-Bohdan
    TLDR Off-label treatments are heavily used for alopecia areata due to limited approved options.
    This retrospective study of 334 alopecia areata (AA) patients at the University Clinical Centre in Gdańsk from 2014 to 2024 found extensive use of off-label pharmacotherapy, with 77.9% of all patients and 99.4% of those receiving drug treatment managed with off-label therapies. Glucocorticosteroids were the most commonly prescribed off-label agents. The study noted that women were more frequently diagnosed with AA and were older at diagnosis compared to men. Despite the introduction of baricitinib and ritlecitinib near the study's end, off-label use remained prevalent due to high costs and strict reimbursement criteria. The findings highlight the need for improved access to licensed medications and monitoring of off-label drug use to enhance patient safety and outcomes. Limitations include its retrospective design and lack of treatment outcome data.
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