Alopecia Areata: Experts and Patients Weigh In

Let My Doctors Decide and the Autoimmune Association recently hosted a conversation with Dr. Kristen LoSicco, a dermatologist at NYU Langone Health; patient advocates Ebony Jean and Tanuj Gupta; and Gary Sherwood from the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. The discussion was inspiring and included personal insights and observations of the challenges of living with alopecia areata (AA).

More than 700,000 Americans struggle with this serious autoimmune disease. AA patients endure adverse physical, psychosocial, and -- because most insurance companies considered treatments for AA hair loss symptoms to be cosmetic and not medically necessary -- financial effects. We are at an important turning point, but significant hurdles remain when it comes to access to care and addressing the social stigma that affects the psychological health of those afflicted with this disease.

In June, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first-ever treatment for AA. This is a game-changer for people who have suffered from a severely misunderstood health condition, but only if this new treatment is accessible and if it changes the way AA is perceived.

The FDA’s approval of an AA treatment should change the paradigm, but only if the Medicare Part D prescription drug program and private insurance companies provide coverage for this medication. This should be viewed by payers, both public and private, for what it is, a life-changing medicine for people with a serious autoimmune disease.

Listen here to the conversation with Dr. LoSicco, Ebony, Tanuj, and Gary to learn more about their personal experiences and the importance of accessibility, affordability, and necessary changes in the way society views people whose health challenges are far more than just cosmetic.