Is the topical treatment STS01 effective for patchy alopecia areata?
Topical STS01 is a new formulation of dithranol, a medicine used for other skin conditions, designed to release the drug slowly. For people with mild to moderate patchy alopecia areata (hair loss covering 10% to 50% of the scalp), a phase 2 trial showed that STS01 1% helped regrow hair better than placebo. However, this is early research, and the treatment is not yet approved by regulators.
What the research says
A phase 2, double-blind, randomized trial tested STS01 at different strengths (0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%) against placebo in 155 adults with mild to moderate patchy alopecia areata 4. After 6 months of daily use, 75.9% of people using STS01 1% achieved at least a 30% improvement in their SALT score (a measure of hair loss), compared to 36.7% in the placebo group 4. The 1% dose also showed a 55% average reduction in hair loss from baseline, while the placebo group had a slight increase 4. The trial found a clear dose response, with 0.5% being the minimum effective dose and 2% being the maximum tolerated dose 4. Importantly, the improvements in hair regrowth did not translate into significant improvements in quality of life as measured by the Alopecia Areata Symptom Impact Scale (AASIS) 6. This suggests that while hair grows back, patients may not feel better in daily life, possibly due to a delay between physical and psychological improvement 6. The trial used a centralized method to measure hair loss from photographs, which reduced error margins by 50% compared to in-person ratings, making the results more reliable 5.
What to ask your doctor
- Is STS01 available for my condition, or is it still only in clinical trials?
- What are the potential side effects of topical dithranol, such as skin irritation or staining?
- How does STS01 compare to other treatments for patchy alopecia areata, like corticosteroids or JAK inhibitors?
- Should I consider enrolling in a clinical trial for STS01 if it is not yet approved?
- What is the typical timeline for hair regrowth with topical treatments for alopecia areata?
This question is drawn from common patient questions about Dermatology and answered using cited medical research. We do not provide individualized advice.