ALOPECIA AREATA in Latin America:
Where are we and where are we going?

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune dermatologic disease in which one’s immune system attacks healthy hair follicles, resulting in smaller follicle sizes and reduced production. As a result, hair loss is common, and hair growth may cease temporarily or permanently. Psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, and adjustment disorder, are often present in patients with AA. There is no cure for AA, and treatment options for symptom control vary widely.

In Latin America (LA), AA represents an often underrecognized burden with a high quality-of-life impact on patients. Due to complex and diverse geographic, cultural, and economic factors, access to treatment and specialized dermatologic care in the region is uneven. New therapies targeting the immune pathways of the disease have the potential to optimize outcomes. Therefore, LA must prepare regulatory issues, reimbursement, awareness, and education to provide adequate and reasonable treatment for patients with AA.

As a result, in April 2022, AHF convened a meeting of Latin American experts on dermatology via Zoom to assess the current landscape for AA in the region and develop recommendations to increase access to specialized care and optimal treatment. The resulting manuscript entitled “Alopecia Areata in Latin America: where are we and where are we going?” has been published by Dermatology and Therapy. The full article is available here.