Report From The Cicatricial Alopecia Colloquium

The 2005 Cicatricial Alopecia Colloquium focused on understanding primary cicatricial alopecias (CICALs), a group of inflammatory hair disorders leading to permanent hair follicle destruction. Despite treatments that manage symptoms, the underlying disease process remained poorly understood. The colloquium highlighted the need for more research into the etiology and pathogenesis of CICALs, emphasizing the role of immune responses, genetic factors, and the sebaceous gland. Discussions included the potential involvement of follicular stem cells, immune privilege loss, and the need for better animal models. The meeting underscored the complexity of CICALs and the necessity for collaborative research to unravel these disorders.