Pill vs. needle: can roflumilast regrow hair in alopecia areata?

NCT ID NCT07174011

Completed Disease control Sponsor: Cairo University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This completed trial tested whether an oral anti-inflammatory drug called roflumilast can regrow hair as well as steroid injections in people with mild-to-moderate patchy alopecia areata. Fifty adults with limited to moderate hair loss were enrolled. The main goal was to measure hair regrowth using the SALT score after 16 weeks of treatment.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: roflumilast (an oral anti-inflammatory drug) and intralesional corticosteroid injections (steroid shots into the scalp)
What this could lead to: If roflumilast works as well as steroid injections, it could provide a pill-based alternative for treating patchy hair loss from alopecia areata.
What could go wrong: This is a small, completed Phase 4 trial with only 50 participants. Results may not apply to more severe forms of alopecia areata, and roflumilast may have side effects like nausea or headache.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

alopecia alopecia areata

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ALOPECIA ALOPECIA AREATA

Contacts and locations

Locations

Cairo University

Giza, Cairo Governorate, 13114, Egypt

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