TLDR Most patients with frontal fibrosing alopecia stabilized with treatment, especially younger ones, using intralesional corticosteroids and tacrolimus.
This retrospective review of 92 patients with frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) found that 70.7% of patients stabilized with treatment after an average of 10.4 months. The study identified that a younger age of onset was associated with a less severe disease course. Most patients (71.7%) were treated with intralesional corticosteroids combined with topical and systemic agents. Tacrolimus was found to be more effective in achieving stabilization within 3 months compared to clobetasol/betamethasone. Adverse effects were more common in patients treated with doxycycline, tetracycline, or minocycline. Limitations included the retrospective design and small sample size.
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.
29 citations,
July 2010 in “Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery” Treatments for Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia have not been proven effective.
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.
113 citations,
May 2007 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology” The study found that steroids and tetracycline helped treat active Lichen planopilaris, and hair transplants were good for later stages.
1 citations,
July 2020 in “Benha Journal of Applied Sciences” Trichoscopy is useful for diagnosing Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia.
Low-dose oral isotretinoin improved hair loss and facial bumps in patients with a specific type of hair loss.
7 citations,
August 2018 in “The American Journal of Dermatopathology” Researchers found a new early sign of Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia that could help avoid misdiagnosis.
21 citations,
May 1996 in “Current problems in dermatology” Detailed patient history and physical exams are crucial for diagnosing hair loss.
5 citations,
October 1988 in “Clinics in Dermatology” Minoxidil promotes hair growth but exact mechanism is unknown.
