Examining the Impact of a Mindfulness Program on Anxiety in Pediatric Alopecia Areata
Anthony J. Gilding, Eden Ventura, Nimrita Sangha, Cathryn Sibbald
Pediatric Dermatology June 14, 2026 DOI: 10.1111/pde.70280 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Adolescent patients with alopecia areata and anxiety |
| Intervention | Breathr mindfulness app |
| Duration | 3-month period |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key points | Daily use of the Breathr mindfulness app provided limited benefits for a subset of adolescents with alopecia areata and anxiety over a three-month period. |
Abstract
ABSTRACT Alopecia areata is an immune‐mediated disease resulting in non‐scarring hair loss and is associated with significant burden on mental health and quality of life. Mindfulness‐based stress‐reduction therapies have emerged as a potential intervention and have shown promising results, though studies of efficacy in adolescent populations are lacking. Thus, this pilot study aimed to determine if the daily use of the Breathr mindfulness app would improve anxiety in adolescent patients with AA over a 3‐month period. Our results demonstrate that daily use of the app provided limited benefits for a subset of adolescents with AA and anxiety.