Oral Ritecitinib - medication available for alopecia areata

Oral Ritecitinib is a JAK3/TEK kinase inhibitor and was NICE approved for severe alopecia areata in February 2024 for adults and children over 12 years old.

It is the only approved licence medication for this condition.

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition that in most case causes mild patchy hair loss that comes and goes. When it is more extensive and widespread it often does not respond to traditional simple treatments such as topical preparations or low strength steroid injections. Up until now, a safe effective treatment for severe and unresponsive cases has not been available..

Oral Ritlecitinib is taken daily at a dose of 50mg a day. A loading dose of 200mg is recommended but not necessary. Hair recovery can take a few months to be seen and continues to improve with long-term use. Patients would be expected to stay on this medication long-term over many years. Common side-effects are headaches, an increased chance of coughs and colds and acne. Patients are recommended to have a Full Blood Count blood test before starting treatment and four weeks into treatment.

There are many different treatable types of hair loss that we routinely manage as Dermatology experts. More information on different types of alopecia/hair loss and this medication can be found on alopecia.org.uk

This medication cost approximately £400 per month privately (excluding consultations and any investigations required).