The First 20 Years of Skin of Color Dermatology: An Era of Advancements in Skin, Hair, and Nail Disorders

March 2025 in “ JAAD reviews. ”

Noelle Desir, Iain Noel Encarnacion, Abdulaziz Hamid, Kara Turner, Oluwatomilola Oyasiji, Nada Elbuluk, Susan C. Taylor

TLDR Significant progress has been made in treating skin, hair, and nail disorders in people with skin of color, but disparities still exist.

Over the past 20 years, significant advancements have been made in skin of color (SOC) dermatology, particularly in understanding and managing hair, skin, and nail disorders. Key developments include improved diagnostic tools and treatments for conditions like atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and alopecia, with new insights into traction alopecia and central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia. Despite progress, disparities in diagnosis and outcomes persist, highlighting the need for ongoing efforts to reduce health disparities and enhance personalized medicine for SOC populations. The future of SOC dermatology lies in personalized medicine, genetic research, and artificial intelligence, with a focus on increasing diversity in clinical trials and advocating for healthcare equity.

View this study on jaadreviews.org →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Research cited in this study

30 / 30 results

research Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil Initiation for Patients With Hair Loss

November 2024 in “JAMA Dermatology”

Low-dose oral minoxidil may help with hair loss, but more research is needed.

research Patterns of Misdiagnosis in Adults With Alopecia Areata: An Analysis Using the NIH All of Us Database

2 citations , September 2024 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

Women and people with skin of color are more likely to be misdiagnosed with alopecia areata.

research Low-Dose Metformin and Profibrotic Signature in Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia

September 2024 in “JAMA Dermatology”

Low-dose metformin may help hair regrowth and reduce inflammation in CCCA.

research Baricitinib Withdrawal and Retreatment in Patients With Severe Alopecia Areata

August 2024 in “JAMA Dermatology”

Continuous baricitinib is needed to keep hair regrowth in severe alopecia areata.

research Efficacy and safety of deuruxolitinib, an oral selective Janus kinase inhibitor, in adults with alopecia areata: Results from the Phase 3 randomized, controlled trial (THRIVE-AA1)

63 citations , July 2024 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

research Oral gabapentin for scalp pruritus in patients with lichen planopilaris: A case series

1 citations , July 2024 in “JAAD Case Reports”

research Trichoscopy of Lichen Planopilaris in Black Scalp: A Literature Review

1 citations , May 2024 in “Skin Appendage Disorders”

Early detection of Lichen Planopilaris is important to prevent worsening and misdiagnosis.

research Low‐dose oral minoxidil in women affected by traction alopecia: real‐world outcomes

3 citations , May 2024 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

Integrated Safety Analysis of Ritlecitinib, an Oral JAK3/TEC Family Kinase Inhibitor, for the Treatment of Alopecia Areata from the ALLEGRO Clinical Trial Program

research Integrated Safety Analysis of Ritlecitinib, an Oral JAK3/TEC Family Kinase Inhibitor, for the Treatment of Alopecia Areata from the ALLEGRO Clinical Trial Program

January 2024 in “American journal of clinical dermatology”

Ritlecitinib is safe and well-tolerated for treating alopecia areata in patients aged 12 and older.

research The Development of Non-Scarring Alopecia in Women Who Wear the Hijab

3 citations , August 2023 in “Archives of Dermatological Research”

Wearing a hijab may lead to earlier hair loss due to vitamin D deficiency and seborrheic dermatitis.

research Alopecia Areata Clinical Trial Enrollment and Retention Outcome Factors Among Underrepresented Ethnic and Racial Groups: A Cross-Sectional Study

July 2023 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

Clinical trials for alopecia areata need better inclusion and retention of patients of color.

Reimagining Hair Science: A New Approach to Classify Curly Hair Phenotypes via New Quantitative Geometric and Structural Mechanical Parameters

research Reimagining Hair Science: A New Approach to Classify Curly Hair Phenotypes via New Quantitative Geometric and Structural Mechanical Parameters

May 2023 in “Accounts of chemical research”

New methods can better classify curly hair types and lead to improved hair care products.

research Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil Improves Hair Density in Traction Alopecia

February 2023 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Low-dose oral minoxidil helps increase hair density in traction alopecia.

research Scalp Biopsy Influences Diagnostic Accuracy and Treatment in Black Women With Alopecia: A Retrospective Study

2 citations , January 2023 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Scalp biopsies greatly improved diagnosis and treatment for Black women with unclear alopecia.

research A Cross-Sectional Study of Male Balding Patterns in People of Color

March 2022 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

The study found different balding patterns in men of color.

research Association of Breast and Colorectal Cancer in Patients With Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia: A Retrospective, Cross-Sectional Pilot Study

9 citations , October 2020 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

Patients with central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia may have a higher risk of breast and colorectal cancer.

research Lichen Planopilaris in Women: A Retrospective Review at Mayo Clinic (1992-2016)

13 citations , August 2020 in “Mayo Clinic proceedings”

Women with lichen planopilaris often have thyroid disease, depression, anxiety, and may respond to treatment with slowed disease progression.

research Intralesional Triamcinolone Acetonide in the Treatment of Traction Alopecia

11 citations , January 2020 in “Journal of Drugs in Dermatology”

Intralesional triamcinolone acetonide is effective and safe for treating early to mid-stage traction alopecia.

research Reliability of Histopathology for the Early Recognition of Fibrosis in Traction Alopecia: Correlation with Clinical Severity

5 citations , June 2019 in “Dermatopathology”

Histopathology is not reliable for detecting early fibrosis in traction alopecia or for showing how severe it is.

research Association of Type 2 Diabetes With Central-Scalp Hair Loss in a Large Cohort Study of African American Women

16 citations , June 2019 in “International Journal of Women's Dermatology”

Type 2 diabetes may increase the risk of severe hair loss in African American women.

research Variant PADI3 in Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia

95 citations , February 2019 in “The New England Journal of Medicine”

Mutations in the PADI3 gene are linked to a higher risk of scarring hair loss in women of African descent.

research Trichoscopy of Dark Scalp: A Review of Trichoscopic Features in Hair and Scalp Disorders in Dark-Skinned Individuals

18 citations , July 2018 in “Skin appendage disorders”

Trichoscopy helps diagnose hair and scalp disorders in dark-skinned people by identifying unique patterns.

research Fibroproliferative Genes Are Preferentially Expressed in Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia

25 citations , June 2018 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Genes linked to fibrosis are more active in people with central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Multicenter Review of 355 Patients

339 citations , February 2014 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Most patients with frontal fibrosing alopecia are postmenopausal women, and treatments like finasteride and dutasteride can improve or stabilize the condition.

research Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia: Possible Familial Aetiology in Two African Families from South Africa

15 citations , November 2012 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

The conclusion is that hair loss from CCCA may be genetic and not solely caused by hair grooming practices.

research Topical Eflornithine Hydrochloride Improves the Effectiveness of Standard Laser Hair Removal for Treating Pseudofolliculitis Barbae: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial

26 citations , January 2012 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

Eflornithine cream makes laser hair removal more effective for treating pseudofolliculitis barbae.

Medical and Environmental Risk Factors for the Development of Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia

research Hot Comb Alopecia

107 citations , September 1968 in “Archives of Dermatology”

Using hot combs can cause permanent hair loss on the scalp's crown.