Successful Follicular unit extraction (FUE) in a case of inactive, recalcitrant alopecia barbae.

Alopecia areata (AA) is a non-scarring autoimmune type of alopecia. Hair transplantation in AA is not practised as the implanted follicular grafts might be destroyed due to underlying autoimmune pathology. A biopsy proven 28 year old male patient of AA presented to us with an eight year history of a hairless patch over beard area. He underwent many treatments by other dermatologist with oral, topical and intralesional immunosuppresants which curtailed his disease progression but failed to re-grow hair. Biopsy during his visit revealed absence of inflammatory infiltrates and empty hair tracts replaced by fibrotic tracts. Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) was done successfully after counselling the patient about the controversial role of hair transplant surgery in AA. Hair growth was achieved within six months with no recurrence during one year follow up. FUE can be opted for long-standing and clinically stable cases of AA; histopathology and dermoscopy being the guiding lights in determining the disease inactivity.