Clinical and Dermoscopic Approaches to Diagnosis of Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: Results From a Multicenter Study of the International Dermoscopy Society

The study presents a large cohort of patients diagnosed with Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia (FFA), a disease that primarily affects postmenopausal women (88.1%) but can also occur in younger women (11.9%) and men. The average age at onset was 58.6 years. The study found an association between FFA and Lichen Planopilaris (LPP) in 18.6% of cases, supporting the theory that FFA could be a clinical variant of LPP. Androgenetic Alopecia (AGA) was present in 38.8% of patients, suggesting a possible shared pathogenetic mechanism with FFA. The diagnosis of FFA was typically made 4.4 years after the onset of the disease, often at a severe stage, highlighting the need for increased awareness and early diagnosis. Alopecia of the eyebrows was the most common sign of the disease, found in 85.6% of cases. Trichoscopy was a useful tool in diagnosing milder cases and differentiating FFA from other conditions. Inflammatory signs were present in over 60% of patients, and 65.9% reported itching. The study suggests further research into non-invasive imaging techniques for diagnosing FFA.