Homœopathic Links
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1715143
Case Report

Curative Evidence of Individualised Homoeopathic Treatment in a Case of Alopecia Areata

Amulya Ratna Sahoo
1   CCRH, Government of India, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India
,
2   CCRH, Government of India, Siliguri, West Bengal, India
,
Gurudev Choubey
2   CCRH, Government of India, Siliguri, West Bengal, India
,
2   CCRH, Government of India, Siliguri, West Bengal, India
› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Introduction Alopecia areata is an auto-immune disorder, suffered by almost 2% of world's population, characterised by non-scarring patches over the scalp. Clinical heterogeneity along with an unpredictable course and history make this disease difficult to treat.

Patient Information A 19-year-old unmarried female reported with complain of loss of hair from a patch on the top of her head; she experienced gradual increase in falling of hair for past 4 years that resulted in complete patchy baldness over the vertex. She tried all sorts of treatment but failed and was advised for hair transplantation, which she could not afford.

Result She has been treated successfully by homoeopathic single medicine Graphites. Over the period of 5 months of homoeopathic treatment, complete resolution was observed. Documentation was done in the form of photographs from the same angle under similar light exposure in every follow-up. Patient's perspective was assessed in each follow-up visit using ORIDL—Outcome in Relation to Impact on Daily Living—scale, and causal attribution of the case has been determined using the modified Naranjo criteria.

Discussion and Conclusion Individualised homoeopathic intervention may be a potential alternative in treatment of alopecia, though further research with better methodology is suggested.

Informed Consent

Consent has been obtained from the patient.


Financial Support and Sponsorship

Nil.




Publication History

Article published online:
15 December 2020

© 2020. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Private Ltd.

 
  • References

  • 1 Hordinsky MK. Overview of alopecia areata. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc 2013; 16 (01) S13-S15
  • 2 Alshahrani AA, Al-Tuwaijri R, Abuoliat ZA, Alyabsi M, AlJasser MI, Alkhodair R. Prevalence and clinical characteristics of alopecia areata at a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia. Dermatol Res Pract 2020; 2020: 7194270
  • 3 Khanna N. Illustrated Synopsis of Dermatology & Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Fourth edition. New Delhi: Elsevier India; 2019: 129-36
  • 4 Thappa DM. Textbook of Dermatology, Leprology & Venereology. Third edition. New Delhi: Elsevier India; 2015: 231
  • 5 Petukhova L, Duvic M, Hordinsky M. et al. Genome-wide association study in alopecia areata implicates both innate and adaptive immunity. Nature 2010; 466 (7302): 113-117
  • 6 Villasante Fricke AC, Miteva M. Epidemiology and burden of alopecia areata: a systematic review. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol 2015; 8: 397-403
  • 7 Shankar M. A current view on alopecia areata: review article. Am J Biol Pharma Res 2016; 3 (02) 76-82
  • 8 Pratt CH, King Jr LE, Messenger AG, Christiano AM, Sundberg JP. Alopecia areata. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2017; 3: 17011 Doi: 10.1038/nrdp.2017.11
  • 9 Hering C. Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica. Vol 4. New Delhi: B Jain Publishers Pvt Ltd; 2016: 467
  • 10 Kent JT. Clara Louise Kent. Repertory of the Homoeopathic Materia Medica. Reprint Edition. Noida: B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd; 1996: 120
  • 11 Roger Van Zandvoort. The Complete Repertory. Location: Leidschendam, The Netherlands: Institute for Research on Homeopathic Information and Symptomatology; 1994
  • 12 van Haselen RA. Homeopathic clinical case reports: development of a supplement (HOM-CASE) to the CARE clinical case reporting guideline. Complement Ther Med 2016; 25: 78-85
  • 13 Shah J. Hompath Classic-Homeopathic Software. Version. 8.0. Mumbai: Premium; 2005
  • 14 Patel RP. Chronic Miasms in Homoeopathy and Their Cure with Classification of Their Rubrics/Symptoms in Dr. Kent's Repertory. Indian ed. New Delhi: Indian Books and Periodicals Publishers; 1996
  • 15 Reilly D, Mercer SW, Bikker AP, Harrison T. Outcome related to impact on daily living: preliminary validation of the ORIDL instrument. BMC Health Serv Res 2007; 7: 139
  • 16 Hahnemann S, Boericke W. Organon of Medicine. 6th edition. New Delhi: B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd.; 2016
  • 17 Tosti A, Bellavista S, Iorizzo M. Alopecia areata: a long term follow-up study of 191 patients. J Am Acad Dermatol 2006; 55 (03) 438-441
  • 18 Shivadikar AP. Evidence-based homoeopathy: case report of alopecia areata in an 11 year old boy. Indian J Res Homoeopathy 2019; 13: 251-255
  • 19 Itamura R. Effect of homeopathic treatment of 60 Japanese patients with chronic skin disease. Complement Ther Med 2007; 15: 115-20
  • 20 Hahnemann S. The Chronic Diseases: Their Peculiar Nature and Their Homoeopathic Cure. New Delhi: B. Jain Publishers; 1999
  • 21 Rutten ALB. Prognostic Factor Research in Homeopathy. New Delhi: Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy; 2019. 151,157,319
  • 22 Evans MA, Golomb BA. Statin-associated adverse cognitive effects: survey results from 171 patients. Pharmacotherapy 2009; 29 (07) 800-811
  • 23 Witt CM, Linde K. Clinical Research in Complimentary and Integrative Medicine: A Practical Training Book. Munich: Elsevier; 2011
  • 24 Harries MJ, Sun J, Paus R, King Jr LE. Management of alopecia areata. BMJ 2010; 341: c3671