Platelet-Rich Plasma for Treatment-Resistant Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Case Report

August 2019 in “ Dermatologic Therapy ”

Deren Özcan, Ayşe Pınar Vural, Ozlem Ozen

platelet-rich plasma PRP frontal fibrosing alopecia FFA scarring hair loss steroids minoxidil hydroxychloroquine perifollicular erythema lichenoid papules primary cicatricial alopecia growth factors cytokines autoimmune markers Rogaine

TLDR Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) may help treat hair loss in patients with frontal fibrosing alopecia who don't respond to other treatments.

The case report from September 2019 described the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) as a treatment for a 44-year-old female patient with treatment-resistant frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA), a chronic and progressive form of scarring hair loss. The patient had not responded to conventional treatments, including steroids, minoxidil, and hydroxychloroquine. After failing to see improvement with these treatments, the patient was administered PRP injections into the frontotemporal hairline and eyebrows, with a total of 5 treatments at 1-month intervals. PRP was prepared by centrifuging the patient's own blood. Following the PRP treatment, the patient showed improvement in perifollicular erythema, scaling, and lichenoid papules, and no further hair loss was observed after 5 months. The report suggested that PRP could be a promising treatment modality for FFA, especially in cases that are recalcitrant to other therapies. The study highlighted the potential of PRP in treating primary cicatricial alopecia due to its growth factors and cytokines that may support hair growth and reduce inflammation. However, it was recommended that patients be screened for autoimmune markers before initiating PRP treatment for FFA.

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