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What is the best dilution of corticosteroid in the treatment of alopecia areata in adults? A study in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment compared the clinical efficacy and safety of triamcinolone acetonide and betamethasone dipropionate injections at different concentrations in scalp and beard alopecia.

Intralesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide and betamethasone dipropionate in three different dilutions (1/4, 1/8 and 1/12) and saline (control) was randomly applied to a total of 231 alopecia patches in 83 patients.

This was done every four weeks in a maximum of six sessions until a hair regrowth score of 4 was achieved. The number of required sessions, sixth-month hair regrowth scores, treatment success rates and dermoscopic data were investigated.

The average number of required sessions was significantly lower for people in the betamethasone dipropionate ¼ dilution and triamcinolone acetonide ¼ dilution groups. Dermoscopic evaluations revealed similar terminal hair growth rations in both these groups and in the saline group.

After six months, hair regrowth scores were similar in both the betamethasone dipropionate ¼ dilution and triamcinolone acetonide ¼ dilution groups. However, adverse side effects were more common in triamcinolone acetonide groups (24.3 per cent) than in betamethasone dipropionate groups (10.6 per cent) at the sixth month.

Researchers concluded that betamethasone dipropionate ¼ dilution seems to be the best corticosteroid for intralesional injection in the treatment of localised alopecia areata in adults.

Read more recent research on alopecia.

Source:
Ustuner, P., Balevi, A, & Ozdemir, M. (30 May 2017.) Best dilution of the best corticosteroid for intralesional injection in the treatment of localized alopecia areata in adults. Journal of Dermatological Treatment. Volume 28, Issue 8, Pages 753-761. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09546634.2017.1329497.

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