Use of Facial Care Products and Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: Coincidence or True Association?

July 2021 in “ The Journal of Dermatology ”

Waroonphan Leecharoen, Kanchalit Thanomkitti, Rattapon Thuangtong, Supenya Varothai, Daranporn Triwongwaranat, Sukhum Jiamton, Kanokvalai Kulthanan

frontal fibrosing alopecia pattern hair loss moisturizer sunscreen FFA PHL

TLDR Facial care products are not linked to causing frontal fibrosing alopecia.

The study investigated the potential association between the use of facial care products and frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) in Asian females. It involved 250 participants, including 50 FFA patients, 100 pattern hair loss (PHL) patients, and 100 normal controls. The findings indicated that the use of moisturizers was significantly higher in the FFA group compared to normal controls, and sunscreen use was significantly higher in the PHL group than in the control group. Both FFA and PHL subjects reported higher use of sunscreen and moisturizer compared to controls. The study concluded that the use of facial care products was not linked to the true disease mechanism of FFA but was related to appearance-related concerns of the patients.

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