Can a diabetes drug reverse scarring hair loss?
NCT ID NCT07734870
First seen Jul 29, 2026 · Last updated Aug 13, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This pilot trial tests whether tirzepatide, a weekly injection used for diabetes and weight loss, can treat active central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA), a permanent scarring hair loss condition. Twenty adults with active CCCA will inject tirzepatide for 12 months and undergo scalp exams, biopsies, and blood tests. Researchers will compare changes in disease activity and gene expression over time to see if the drug reduces inflammation and scarring.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- tirzepatide, a weekly injection also used for diabetes and weight loss
- What this could lead to
- If it works, tirzepatide could become a new treatment option for CCCA, a scarring hair loss condition with few effective therapies.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small pilot trial with only 20 participants and no placebo group, so results may not apply broadly. Tirzepatide can cause gastrointestinal side effects like nausea and vomiting.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center
Baltimore, Maryland, 21287, United States
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Medical Pavilion at Howard County
Columbia, Maryland, 21044, United States
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