Hair Loss in Lichen Planopilaris and Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: Not Always Irreversible

    January 2020 in “ Skin appendage disorders ”
    Prag Batra, Kumar Sukhdeo, Jerry Shapiro
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    TLDR Hair loss from conditions like LPP and FFA can potentially be reversed with the right treatment.
    In 2019, a study reported two cases of typically irreversible hair loss conditions, lichen planopilaris (LPP) and frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA), showing signs of reversal. A 27-year-old man with LPP experienced hair regrowth and elimination of itch six months after adding oral tofacitinib and dapsone to his treatment. A 45-year-old woman with FFA showed hair and eyebrow regrowth and reduction in glabella-hairline distance over six months after starting oral finasteride and hydroxychloroquine, triamcinolone injections, and topical minoxidil. The study concluded that LPP and FFA might be reversible with appropriate therapy, with LPP responding to tofacitinib and dapsone, and FFA responding to androgenic and immune modulators.
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      in Research/Science  14 upvotes 9 months ago
      A user has been experiencing hair loss for 4 years, with treatments like minoxidil, finasteride, and various supplements proving ineffective. They were diagnosed with fibrosing alopecia in a pattern distribution, a condition that may require a combination of anti-inflammatory and hair growth treatments.
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      in Research  692 upvotes 4 months ago
      Scalp biopsies are crucial for diagnosing hair loss conditions like Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA) and retrograde hair loss, as treatments like finasteride and dutasteride may not be effective if other conditions are present. Combining PPAR-GAMMA agonists with retinoids could improve treatments for conditions like Lichen Planopilaris.

      community I think I’ve finally found the reason for my hair loss

      in Chat  98 upvotes 2 weeks ago
      The user experienced hair loss since 2019 and tried finasteride, dutasteride, RU58841, and ketoconazole shampoo without success. A scalp biopsy showed scarring and inflammation from folliculitis, indicating chronic inflammation was affecting treatment effectiveness.

      community 9 months on Fin - no progress , should I get on Dutasteride?

      in Chat  10 upvotes 1 month ago
      The user has been using finasteride, minoxidil, and nizoral for hair loss but hasn't seen regrowth, only maintenance. They are considering switching to dutasteride, which is believed to be more effective, but are concerned about potential side effects.

      community Testosterone and hair loss seeming irrelevance

      in Research/Science  81 upvotes 1 year ago
      The conversation is about the role of testosterone in hair loss and the effectiveness of different treatments. The conclusion is that DHT is the main culprit for hair loss, and finasteride has been proven to work long-term in maintaining and regrowing hair. Testosterone may have a minor effect, but it is not the primary cause of hair loss.

      community I tried salt water to stop the DHT itch

      in Treatment  60 upvotes 2 years ago
      Treating the itch associated with male pattern baldness, which is believed to be caused by DHT. Potential treatments discussed include salt water, finasteride, ketoconazole, and RU58841.

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