**5. Treatment options and management of alopecia areata**

Although new treatment options are being developed and advances have been made in recent years, there is currently no preventive or curative treatment for AA and classical treatments produce variable results [65]. The design of a treatment strategy for alopecia areata should be based on consensual decision-making with the patient, taking into account his or her preferences and the risk and benefit of each treatment [66] (**Figure 5**).

## **5.1 Psychosocial support and cosmetic options**

The psychological impact of AA in children and adults may make the patient desire treatment regardless of clinical severity, and, on the other hand, makes psychosocial support by the physician part of the therapeutic arsenal in AA [67].

As a complement to medical treatment, or as the only measure in patients who refuse medical treatment, there is a wide range of cosmetic resources that the physician should be aware of: wigs, eyebrow tattooing, synthetic eyelashes, sprays, or lotions designed to make hair look fuller can be useful in AA [68].
