Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease manifesting a wide range of symptoms from mucocutaneous to widespread involvement of multiple organs. A total of 60% of SLE patients suffer from scarring alopecia, affecting their quality of life. Herein is a case of a female adult with SLE and severe alopecia. While the patient received several systemic treatments, her alopecia was treated with intralesional triamcinolone and adjunct platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections for 4 months, and tacrolimus 0.1% ointment applied twice a day for 6 weeks. Four months into treatment, there was a note of increase in terminal and vellus hair, decreasing the affected body surface area from 2.5% to 1%. This case highlights that PRP is a viable option as an adjunct therapy for inflammatory alopecia and that collaboration among different specialties in the management of lupus and exploring novel treatment options for alopecia are important.

Precious U. Imam is a dermatologist from the Philippines who specializes in Wound Healing (hard to heal and chronic wounds) who completed her fellowship training from the European Association of Fellows in Wound Healing. She is the research department chairman of the Mindanao State University College of Medicine and a clinician in Iligan City. She has also recently completed her training program in Hair Transplantation in Seoul, South Korea.