Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia

The document from 2008 provides an overview of Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia (CCCA), a scarring alopecia primarily affecting African descent women, with an average onset age of 36 for women and 31 for men. The cause is unclear, but it may involve genetic predisposition and damaging hairstyling practices. CCCA presents with red, itchy, scaling lesions that progress from the vertex or mid-scalp outward. Histologically, it is characterized by lymphocytic inflammation and fibrosis around hair follicles. Treatment focuses on avoiding scalp trauma, using hair care products cautiously, managing infections, and potentially employing corticosteroids, systemic antibiotics, and topical minoxidil. Differential diagnoses include other forms of cicatricial alopecia, each with unique clinical and histopathological features. The document highlights the need for more research to understand CCCA's etiology and develop effective treatments, while also noting the North American Hair Research Society's efforts to gather data on hairstyling practices and create a photographic scale for CCCA.