Sonal Choudhary, MD, a Dermatopathologist, Dermatologist, and the Director of the Integrative Dermatology and Skincare Clinic at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, PA, and Apple Bodemer, MD, a Dermatologist at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI, continue their discussion on integrative approaches to hair loss. In this episode, they take a deep dive into the use of botanicals and nutraceuticals, including pumpkin seed oil, rosemary oil, and Nutrafol, “the Cadillac” of hair growth supplements. Drs. Choudhary and Bodemer also weigh in on the role that breathwork, hypnotherapy, red light, and an anti-inflammatory diet can play in treating different types of alopecia.

Sonal Choudhary, MD, a Dermatopathologist and Dermatologist, and the Director of the Integrative Dermatology and Skincare Clinic at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, PA, continues her conversation with Apple Bodemer, MD, a Dermatologist at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI, about integrative approaches to hair loss and how they can be used with traditional therapies.

Among the highlights:

Vigorous scalp massage may help treat androgenic alopecia, but it's not a cure-all.

Red-light therapies can be effective, but not all devices are created equally.

Home microneedling with a stamp can also be a useful adjunctive therapy for some types of hair loss.

Platelet-rich plasma injections work best when overall health is optimized.

Host Sonal Choudhary, MD, and Apple Bodemer, MD, a Dermatologist at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI, discuss the game-changing role that Janus Kinase (JAK) inhibitors play in treating alopecia areata. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three JAK inhibitors— baricitinib (Olumiant, Eli Lilly & Co.)  , ritlecitinib (Litfulo, Pfizer) , and deuruxolitinib(Leqselvi, Sun Pharma)  —as treatments for alopecia areata.

Key takeaways:

• These medications, while highly effective, can increase risk for infections, but integrative approaches may help keep the immune system optimized.

• People with celiac disease and alopecia areata who follow gluten-free diets may regrow hair.