The therapeutic efficacy of Jessner solution is comparable to an injectable intralesional steroid for improving multifocal patchy alopecia areata.
Alopecia areata (AA) is referred to as an autoimmune disorder characterized by non-scarring loss of hair. Despite the associated health burden, there is no definitive cure for this disorder. This study, published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of intralesional steroid as compared to Jessner solution for the treatment of AA.
The study recruited a total of 40 patients who were diagnosed with multifocal patchy AA. In each patient, the study investigators randomly selected three patches. The first was treated with intralesional steroids, the second was treated with topical application of Jessner solution, and the third was treated with normal saline, serving as the placebo. Three treatment sessions were performed with a gap of 3 weeks between each session, and the patients were followed up for a duration of 3 months. The investigators assessed the treatment response both via a trichoscopy and clinically.
The study findings suggested that 15% of the AA patches that were given intralesional steroid injections or topical Jessner solution demonstrated excellent response. In addition, 32.5% of the patches treated with intralesional steroids and 20% of the patches treated with topical Jessner solution yielded a good treatment response. The authors observed a significant difference between the three treatment modalities based on the prognostic score, with a p-value of < 0.0001. A significantly increased response rate was observed in the patches that were administered intralesional steroid and Jessner solution compared to patches treated with normal saline solution. The investigators observed no significant differences between patches treated with intralesional steroids and Jessner solution.
In summary, Jessner solution is a well-tolerated and effective treatment modality for patients with multifocal patchy AA. Future research studies may include a larger sample size and compare the safety profile and therapeutic efficacy of Jessner solution with other pharmacological formulations.
Reference
Elshahid, A. R., Kadah, A. S., Hassan, E. A., & Elsaie, M. L. (2022). Efficacy of Jessener solution versus intralesional steroid in treatment of alopecia areata. J Cosmet Dermatol. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.15546
