TLDR Most patients with Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia at the reviewed institution were middle-aged Black women, often with no symptoms, and commonly treated with topical medications.
This retrospective chart review at Montefiore Medical Center analyzed 185 female patients diagnosed with central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) from July 2015 to March 2022. The study found that 82.7% of patients identified as Black or African American, with a mean age of 53.3 years at presentation. Hair loss at the vertex or crown was the most common symptom, reported by 79.5% of patients. Treatment was administered to 85.9% of patients, with topical medications being the most common. The study highlights the need for a unique ICD-10 code for CCCA to facilitate larger epidemiologic studies and better understand the disease's demographics and characteristics.
64 citations
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June 2014 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Researchers found a white halo around hair in most patients with a specific type of hair loss, which helps in early diagnosis and treatment.
25 citations
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September 2010 in “Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery” The study found that Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia mainly affects middle-aged African descent women, is linked to certain hair care practices and genetics, and often goes undiagnosed for years.
46 citations
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July 2008 in “Dermatologic Therapy” A scale was made to measure hair loss severity in African American women.
September 2025 in “Cureus” There is no standard treatment for CCCA, and practices vary widely.
72 citations
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July 2008 in “Dermatologic Therapy” CCCA is a scarring hair loss condition mainly in African descent women, possibly caused by genetics and hairstyling, treated with gentle hair care and medications.
Hair loss in African American women, caused by hair care, genetics, and environment, needs more research for better treatment.
37 citations
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August 2016 in “Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology” The document concludes that better treatments for CCCA are needed and more research is required to understand its causes related to hairstyling and genetics.
February 2026 in “Journal of Advanced Trends in Medical Research” Rosemary shows promise in treating alopecia, similar to minoxidil, but more research is needed.
