Tofacitinib, a drug approved to treat moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, reversed hair loss for a man and a woman both suffering from alopecia universalis for 10 years. The case report is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Alopecia universalies involves complete hair loss in all parts of the body. The cause of alopecia universalis is uncertain, but many investigators believe it to be an autoimmune disease with the patient's immune system directed against the hair follicles. No treatment is effective, although several have been proposed.

A 38-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman for whom initial treatment failed were treated with tofacitinib, 5 mg orally twice daily. Hair partially grew on the scalp, eyebrows, and axillae after 2 months of therapy. No adverse events were observed after 9 months, although long-term therapy with tofacitinib can cause serious adverse events. The researchers believe that these cases should prompt a clinical trial to determine whether tofacitinib is a reasonable treatment for alopecia universalis despite its risk for adverse effects because successful treatment can improve patients' lives dramatically.