Potential Etiological Factors in Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia
January 2022
in “
Przegla̧d dermatologiczny
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frontal fibrosing alopecia lichen planus permanent hair loss postmenopausal women hormonal factors autoimmune diseases hypothyroidism rheumatoid arthritis vitiligo polymyositis systemic lupus erythematosus discoid lupus erythematosus genetic factors human leukocyte antigen HLA polymorphisms sunscreen cosmetic products skin cancer frontal hairline HLA lupus autoimmune
TLDR The exact cause of frontal fibrosing alopecia is unknown, but it's not likely due to sunscreen.
Frontal fibrosing alopecia, a variant of lichen planus causing permanent hair loss from the frontal hairline, is primarily observed in postmenopausal women. The role of hormonal factors in its pathogenesis remains unclear. The condition often coexists with autoimmune diseases such as hypothyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis, vitiligo, polymyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and discoid lupus erythematosus. Research is ongoing to identify potential genetic factors, specifically human leukocyte antigen (HLA) polymorphisms. Sunscreen, a common component in cosmetic products, has been extensively studied as a potential factor, but current data is controversial and inconclusive. The study emphasizes that sunscreen components should not be considered a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of frontal fibrosing alopecia, and warns against overestimating their role, as it could lead to avoidance of sunscreen use and increased skin cancer incidence.
