Arthritis Drug May Help With Hair Loss
It is estimated that 6.5 million people in America suffer from alopecia areata. This is a condition where the immune system attacks the hair follicles. Alopecia areata causes a person to lose patches of hair. It can also cause a person to completely go bald.
It can be difficult to treat alopecia areata. Fortunately, researchers have found out that a drug called Xeljanz, which is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, may treat alopecia. There was a three-month study that involved 66 patients. The study showed that half of the subjects in the study noticed hair re-growth after three months. One-third of the subjects were able to recover more than half of the hair that they lost.
The subjects only experienced mild side effects. They were given five milligrams of Xeljanz twice a day. The researchers stated that the results of the study are promising. However, they noted that they do not know how long a person will have to take Xeljanz in order to get results. They also do not know how long the hair re-growth will last.
Madeline Gross is one of the people who have benefited by using Xeljanz. She began suffering from alopecia when she was a sophomore in college back in 2010. She had tried several treatments, but she did not have any luck. Madeline was only 18-years-old at the time, so the hair loss took a toll on her self-esteem. She was embarrassed by the hair loss, so she wore a wig to hide the hair loss.
Madeline started using Xeljanz. She noticed that her hair started to re-grow after using the drug for a few months. Madeline is now 25-years-old and has a full head of hair. She no longer has to wear a wig. Furthermore, Xeljanz was able to re-grow her hair without any side effects.
