Management of Alopecia Areata through Unani Medicine

Abstract

The impact of certain skin diseases on those afflicted tends to be underestimated or even dismissed as simply a “cosmetic problem.” There are several diseases that cause deterioration of an attractive facial presentation. Alopecia is one of the examples, owing to its substantial disease burden and devastating effects on the patient’s quality of life and self-esteem. Other skin conditions can typically be resolved with time, but Alopecia requires effective treatment in the early stage. Though alopecia areata (AA) is one of the most common autoimmune diseases, many patients fail to respond adequately or develop side effects to conventional medicine. Thus, the available therapies for its management are disappointing. In the Unani system of medicine, the clinical picture of AA strongly resembles with Dā’al-Tha‘lab . The treatment of this ailment has been elaborated in the classical books written by eminent physicians. In the current case study, a 34-year-old male was successfully treated for AA over the period of 3 months through the Unani line of treatment, which proved that Cupping therapy, along with other regimens and internal medication, is the best, cost-effective, and less invasive solution for re-growing hair over high-cost hair treatments and transplantation. However, further research is surely needed to establish the safety and efficacy of these Unani formulations and regimens used for the treatment of AA.