Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Disease That Remains Enigmatic

In 2020, a study titled "Frontal fibrosing alopecia: a disease that remains enigmatic" discussed the complexities of Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA), a scarring hair loss condition primarily affecting postmenopausal women, but also reported in premenopausal women, men, and children. The cause of FFA was unknown, but it was suggested that genetic, hormonal, autoimmune, inflammatory, and environmental factors might contribute to its development. The study noted a significant increase in FFA cases worldwide over the past 20 years, particularly among individuals of higher socio-economic status. The disease was characterized by a slow, progressive recession of the frontotemporal hairline, with complete loss of hair and follicular openings. Other symptoms could include loss of eyebrows and eyelashes, loss of peripheral body hair, and skin, mucous membrane, and nail involvement. Various treatments were proposed to halt disease progression, but their effectiveness remained unclear. The document also mentioned that 15-31.4% of FFA patients had thyroid disease, including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and female FFA patients had a greater prevalence of other autoimmune diseases. The primary treatment goal was to establish the diagnosis in the early stage and prevent further progression of hair loss. Regrowth of hair was achieved only in isolated cases.