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Fluocinolone is in a class of medications called corticosteroids. Corticosteroids have been used to treat alopecia areata as they suppress multiple inflammatory genes that are activated in chronic inflammatory diseases. Fluocinolone is prescribed in the treatment of alopecia areata and seborrheic dermatitis.
Key insights:
- There does not appear to be any in vitro or in vivo (in animals) evidence that specifically shows that fluocinolone can promote hair growth.
- The clinical evidence suggests that topically applied 0.2% fluocinolone can improve hair loss outcomes in patients with alopecia areata and alopecia totalis. 17/28 patients showed a “satisfactory to excellent” response, however 11/17 of the patients experienced relapses either during the course of treatment or within 3 months after treatment was discontinued. Unfortunately, the researchers did not appear to use any objective measurements of hair growth like counting with a phototrichogram. A more recent case study showed that 0.025% of topical fluocinolone acetonide can improve hair regrowth in one patient with alopecia areata, however this was only a case study and also did not use any objective measurements.
- Because androgenetic alopecia is not an autoimmune condition, fluocinolone cannot be used to treat this type of hair loss.
- Our experience tracking members: fluocinolone by itself is not enough to improve hair loss outcomes.
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