Treatment Outcomes of Triamcinolone Acetonide Compared with Cryotherapy in Alopecia Areata: Evidence from a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The systematic review and meta-analysis involving 640 patients across five trials found that intralesional triamcinolone acetonide (IL-TAC) significantly increased the likelihood of achieving ≥50% hair regrowth in patchy alopecia areata compared to cryotherapy, with a risk ratio of 1.57. IL-TAC was associated with injection-site pain and skin atrophy, while cryotherapy caused transient pain, swelling, and bullae. Despite IL-TAC's effectiveness, both treatments have distinct tolerability profiles, and further high-quality trials with standardized protocols and long-term follow-up are recommended to confirm these findings.