Graft Versus Host Disease Presenting as Fibrosing Alopecia in a Pattern Distribution: A Model for Pathophysiological Understanding of Cicatricial Pattern Hair Loss

In 2018, a case study was conducted on a 58-year-old woman with graft versus host disease (GVHD) and acute myeloid leukemia, who developed fibrosing alopecia in a pattern distribution (FAPD), a type of hair loss. The study suggested that the inflammation and fibrosis caused by GVHD led to FAPD, providing a model for understanding the pathophysiology of cicatricial pattern hair loss. The woman was treated with a compound of 5% minoxidil and 0.2% triamcinolone acetonide. This case study highlighted GVHD as a potential immunologic model for understanding other hair loss conditions like lichen planus and lichen planopilaris.