Revisiting pediatric alopecia areata: Newer insights

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disorder that results from the targeted attack of hair follicles by multiple T-cell subsets leading to hair loss. Childhood-onset AA is characterized by a severe clinical course with a poorer treatment outcome. However, it does carry a significant detrimental impact on the quality of life and the self-confidence of the child, besides impairing the emotional health of parents in severely affected cases. The data on pediatric AA is limited. Despite numerous advances made in recent years for the management of AA in children, Food and Drug Administration approved systemic treatment required for severe AA cases is still elusive. In this review, we review the recent literature on clinical manifestations, comorbidities, investigations, and the treatment modalities of AA in children.