Effect of fractional laser alone or in combination on alopecia areata: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundAlopecia areata (AA) is characterized by limited non-scarring patchy alopecia, which appears as round or oval patches and is prone to recurrence, causing severe psychological burdens to patients. The FDA has approved phototherapy methods, such as the 308 nm excimer laser or He-Ne laser, for the treatment of AA. A growing number of studies have found that fractional lasers also have great potential in the treatment of AA. MethodsA literature search and meta-analysis using Review Manager 5.4 software to investigate the efficacy of fractional laser treatment for AA. ResultsFractional laser combined with minoxidil (RR 1.32, 95% CI 1.17-1.49, p < 0.00001) or cortisol (RR 1.39, 95% CI 1.15-1.67, p = 0.00006) was more effective than either drug alone in the treatment of AA. Of course, the fractional laser alone was also effective in the treatment of AA (RR 10.33, 95% CI 2.07-51.36, p = 0.004) and more effective than cortisol alone (RR 1.86, 95% CI 1.36-2.52, p < 0.00001), and there was no effect on the occurrence of adverse effects (p = 0.49 > 0.05). When compared to other physical treatments of a comparable kind, fractional laser therapy's effectiveness was not significantly different (p = 0.15 > 0.05). ConclusionOur results show that the use of fractional lasers can effectively treat alopecia areata.