Hair Shaft Morphology, Elemental Composition, and Nanoparticles in Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Case-Control Study

January 2021 in “ Acta Dermato Venereologica ”

Anna Lyakhovitsky, Elena Kartvelishvily, Theodoulos Drousiotis, Keren Lyakhovitsky, Seth J. Baum, Aviv Barzilai

frontal fibrosing alopecia titanium nanoparticles hair morphology elemental composition cuticle weathering

TLDR Titanium nanoparticles may trigger frontal fibrosing alopecia, so avoid products with them.

This study investigated the hair shaft morphology, elemental composition, and presence of nanoparticles in patients with frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) compared to healthy controls. The research involved 20 patients and 40 controls, utilizing scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Findings showed that patients with FFA had significantly more cuticle weathering despite similar hair care routines. Elemental analysis revealed a notable increase in particles containing titanium, chlorine, silicon, magnesium, and iron in the patient group, with titanium-containing nanoparticles being 8.6 times more prevalent than in controls. The study suggested that individuals with FFA should avoid aggressive hair treatments and products containing titanium nanoparticles.

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