Alopecia areata, diphenylcyprone and squaric acid dibutylester

The BMJ July 23, 2010 focused on the treatment of alopecia areata, which tends to regress spontaneously and specific treatment is not always necessary.

The usual treatment is based on topical or intralesional corticoids.

But, for refractory forms of alopecia areata, it is possible to use to topical immunotherapy, with solutions containing allergenic compounds such as:

• Diphenylcyprone, also called diphenylcyclopropenone or DPCP, see for example this paper, with possibility of adverse effects, urticaria or vitiligo
• Squaric acid dibutylester (SADBE,), see for example this paper. It was also used for the local treatment of warts.

Here the chemical formulas of diphenylcyprone and squaric acid dibutylester:

Dithranol is also proposed for the treatment of alopecia areata.