TLDR A woman thought to have rosacea was actually suffering from Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia, a hair loss condition. Despite treatment, her condition didn't change, showing the importance of accurate early diagnosis.
The document presents a case study of a 38-year-old woman initially diagnosed with rosacea, but later confirmed to have Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia (FFA), a condition causing hair loss and facial papules. Despite rosacea treatment, her symptoms worsened, leading to a second biopsy and FFA diagnosis. She was treated with finasteride and oral hydroxychloroquine, but after a year, her condition neither improved nor worsened. The case highlights the need for thorough physical examination and dermoscopy of hair follicles for early FFA diagnosis, and the risk of misdiagnosis due to symptom overlap with conditions like rosacea.
339 citations,
February 2014 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Most patients with frontal fibrosing alopecia are postmenopausal women, and treatments like finasteride and dutasteride can improve or stabilize the condition.
155 citations,
September 2008 in “British journal of dermatology/British journal of dermatology, Supplement” FFA is more common in postmenopausal women, can affect younger women, and may stabilize over time.
76 citations,
June 2008 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology” The conclusion is that certain scalp tissue changes are characteristic of lichen planopilaris, with mucinous perifollicular fibroplasia being a new feature for diagnosis.
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 2021 in “Case Reports” A woman thought to have rosacea was actually suffering from Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia, a hair loss condition. Despite treatment, her condition didn't change, showing the importance of accurate early diagnosis.
11 citations,
February 2020 in “Dermatology and therapy” Low-Level Light Therapy significantly reduced inflammation and promoted hair regrowth in patients with Lichen planopilaris.
1 citations,
May 2016 in “Aktuelle Dermatologie” Trichoscopy helps monitor inflammation in Lichen planopilaris.
20 citations,
January 2016 in “Intractable & Rare Diseases Research” Combination therapy, especially with finasteride, is effective for treating frontal fibrosing alopecia.
37 citations,
May 1999 in “Australasian Journal of Dermatology” Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for preventing permanent hair loss in various scalp conditions, and while new treatments are promising, more research is needed to evaluate their effectiveness.
