TLDR The document concludes that there are no reliable treatments for frontal fibrosing alopecia, with only temporary benefits from current options.
The 2007 document reviewed the condition of frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA), noting its typical symptoms and diagnostic markers, such as a receding hairline and eyebrow loss in middle-aged and older women, and histopathological signs like inflammatory infiltrate and fibrosis. It summarized the outcomes of 7 studies involving 78 patients, highlighting the lack of effective treatments despite trials with corticosteroids, finasteride, and minoxidil. The document emphasized the need for histopathological examination for diagnosis and acknowledged the absence of clinical trials and reliable treatment options for FFA, with only temporary benefits observed from some treatments like oral prednisone and limited success with corticosteroids in cases with active inflammation.
126 citations,
April 2006 in “International Journal of Dermatology” The conclusion is that FFA and LPP have similar scalp biopsy features, making them hard to distinguish histologically, and FFA may be a specific kind of scarring hair loss.
123 citations,
August 2005 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” The study found that Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia affects a broader age range of women and early treatment can help stop hair loss.
179 citations,
December 2004 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Some postmenopausal women with frontal fibrosing alopecia stopped losing hair with finasteride treatment, hinting at a possible hormonal cause.
57 citations,
January 2003 in “Clinical and experimental dermatology” Postmenopausal frontal fibrosing alopecia is a type of hair loss in postmenopausal women that may stop on its own but has no effective treatment.
329 citations,
January 1997 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology” Frontal fibrosing alopecia is a hair loss condition in postmenopausal women, similar to lichen planopilaris, with ineffective treatments.
August 2022 in “IntechOpen eBooks” The best treatment for Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia and Lichen Planopilaris combines oral and topical medications to reduce symptoms and stop hair loss.
September 2020 in “Journal of Cutaneous Pathology” A patient with a skin condition had unusual scarring hair loss but improved with treatment.
A 21-year-old with lichen planopilaris was successfully treated, stopping disease progression and preventing crusts.
