Steroid Injections for Hair Growth: How Effective Are They?

Dermatologists inject intralesional steroid injections directly into the skin in the affected area. It helps keep steroids in the targeted area and avoid side effects from steroid absorption in other parts of the body. Conditions that may require steroids include alopecia areata, keloid scars, prurigo nodularis, cutaneous lupus, and granuloma annulare.

An intralesional steroid injection for alopecia areata is a corticosteroid injection given on the scalp. It is also given in oral form such as prednisone. Although usually effective, one must note that steroid injections do not cure alopecia areata. They temporarily or permanently resolve only a specific patch. Injections are preferred to avoid systemic absorption.

In some cases, alopecia areata may return in the same patch or affect a new area. The injection wouldn’t necessarily be able to prevent it. Also, since alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition, the result would depend on your immunity.

Some other hair loss conditions that steroid injections can treat include the following.

•     Eyebrow and beard alopecia areata
•     Scalp alopecia areata, where approximately less than 50 percent of the scalp area is affected
•     Discoid lupus
•     Lichen Plano pilaris
•     Frontal fibrosis alopecia

Intralesional steroid injections for hair growth treatment carry a few risks that may differ with every case. Some of the most common ones include the following. It would help if you discussed these risks before injecting steroids to treat hair loss.

• Pain 
• Soreness and mild headaches may alleviate in a couple of hours or so.
• Loss of pigmentation and hyperpigmentation in some cases.
• Acne in the treated area.
• Pinpoint bleeding in the injected point/ site.

The treatment continues for about six months, in which dermatologists inject steroids every four weeks. However, the number of treatment sessions may vary depending on the severity of the case. While some need an entire six-treatment session course, a couple of sessions may suffice in some cases, which depends on the diagnosis and area to be treated.

If you’ve been looking for steroid injection treatment for hair growth, visit HairMD, one of the leading hair fall clinics in Pune.

We are a team of experienced internationally-trained dermatologists who’ve conducted thousands of successful steroid injection treatments to help foster hair growth in many patients. Our dermatologists determine the suitability of the treatment after a thorough discussion and case-specific diagnosis.