Fibrosing Alopecia in a Pattern Distribution
February 2000
in “
Archives of dermatology
”
fibrosing alopecia scarring alopecia lichen planopilaris pseudopelade follicular degeneration syndrome hair follicle miniaturization lichenoid inflammatory infiltrate perifollicular lamellar fibrosis fibrosed follicular tracts androgenetic alopecia scarring hair loss hair follicle shrinkage inflammatory infiltrate fibrous tissue around hair follicles fibrous hair tracts male pattern baldness
TLDR Some people with pattern hair loss may also have scalp inflammation and scarring similar to lichen planopilaris.
The study examined 19 patients (15 women and 4 men) with progressive scarring alopecia in a pattern distribution, comparing their clinical and histological findings to those of other scalp scarring conditions like lichen planopilaris, pseudopelade, and follicular degeneration syndrome. The patients showed symptoms of fibrosing alopecia in the central scalp, distinct from the multifocal involvement seen in the other conditions. Early biopsy specimens revealed hair follicle miniaturization and a lichenoid inflammatory infiltrate targeting the upper follicle, while advanced lesions exhibited perifollicular lamellar fibrosis and fibrosed follicular tracts. The study suggested that some individuals with androgenetic alopecia may also have inflammation and fibrosis confined to the area of hair loss, with early histological signs similar to lichen planopilaris, indicating a possible pathogenetic link between the two conditions.
