A Retrospective Study of Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia from North-East India

November 2023 in “ Indian Journal of Dermatology ”

Shikha Verma, Anita Marak, Debopriya Paul, Biswajit Dey

Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia FFA frontotemporal recession eyebrow involvement sideburn involvement lichen planus pigmentosus perifollicular lymphocytic infiltrate

TLDR The study found that Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia in North-East India mainly affects middle-aged women and is often associated with lichen planus pigmentosus.

The retrospective study examined 21 patients with Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia (FFA) in North-East India, finding that it primarily affected females (90.48%) with an average age of 48.33 years. All patients exhibited frontotemporal recession, 52.38% had eyebrow involvement, and 42.85% had sideburn involvement. The most common associated condition was lichen planus pigmentosus (28.57%). Histological features, particularly perifollicular lymphocytic infiltrate (85.71%), were indicative of FFA in all patients. The study affirmed the effectiveness of the International FFA Cooperative Group Criteria for diagnosing FFA. This is the first study of its kind on FFA's epidemiology in North-East India.

View this study on journals.lww.com →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Research cited in this study

17 / 17 results

Guidelines for Clinical Trials of Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: Consensus Recommendations from the International FFA Cooperative Group

research Guidelines for Clinical Trials of Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: Consensus Recommendations from the International FFA Cooperative Group

14 citations , June 2021 in “British journal of dermatology/British journal of dermatology, Supplement”

Experts agreed on guidelines to improve research on Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Review

23 citations , April 2021 in “Journal of Clinical Medicine”

Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia's cause is unclear, affects mainly postmenopausal women, and current treatments focus on stopping hair loss rather than regrowth.

research Clinical-Histopathological Profile of the Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Retrospective Study of 16 Cases at a University Hospital

7 citations , August 2019 in “Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia”

More research is needed to understand and treat frontal fibrosing alopecia.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: An Update on Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment

61 citations , January 2019 in “American Journal of Clinical Dermatology”

The cause of Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia is unclear, diagnosis involves clinical evaluation and various treatments exist, but their effectiveness is uncertain.

research Reply to: Updated Diagnostic Criteria for Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia

8 citations , December 2017 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

The authors updated the criteria for diagnosing frontal fibrosing alopecia, making it easier to diagnose without a biopsy.

Is There a Pathogenetic Link Between Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia, Androgenetic Alopecia, and Fibrosing Alopecia in a Pattern Distribution?

research Is There a Pathogenetic Link Between Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia, Androgenetic Alopecia, and Fibrosing Alopecia in a Pattern Distribution?

15 citations , December 2017 in “Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology”

Frontal fibrosing alopecia and androgenetic alopecia may be related, with a possible shared cause.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia Among Men: A Clinicopathologic Study of 7 Cases

41 citations , July 2017 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Men with Frontal fibrosing alopecia typically lose hair on the front scalp and sometimes on sideburns and upper lip, with treatments showing varied success.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia and Lichen Planus Pigmentosus: Diagnosis and Therapeutic Challenge

16 citations , January 2017 in “Anais brasileiros de dermatologia/Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia”

Managing frontal fibrosing alopecia and lichen planus pigmentosus is challenging due to resistant hair loss and skin discoloration.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Multicenter Review of 355 Patients

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.

research Coexistence of Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia with Lichen Planus Pigmentosus

22 citations , April 2013 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

Frontal fibrosing alopecia can occur with lichen planus pigmentosus, needing careful diagnosis and treatment.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Review of 60 Cases

166 citations , April 2012 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Mostly postmenopausal Caucasian women get Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia, which often includes eyebrow loss and has limited treatment success.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia in a Man: Results of Follicular Unit Test Grafting

53 citations , May 2010 in “Dermatologic Surgery”

Hair transplantation may not work for Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia as transplanted hair was lost when the disease came back.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: Clinical Presentations and Prognosis

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.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia Versus Lichen Planopilaris: A Clinicopathological Study

126 citations , April 2006 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

The conclusion is that FFA and LPP have similar scalp biopsy features, making them hard to distinguish histologically, and FFA may be a specific kind of scarring hair loss.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Survey in 16 Patients

123 citations , August 2005 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology”

The study found that Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia affects a broader age range of women and early treatment can help stop hair loss.

research Postmenopausal Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Frontal Variant of Lichen Planopilaris

329 citations , January 1997 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

Frontal fibrosing alopecia is a hair loss condition in postmenopausal women, similar to lichen planopilaris, with ineffective treatments.

research Postmenopausal Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia

325 citations , June 1994 in “Archives of Dermatology”

Postmenopausal frontal fibrosing alopecia may be a unique condition linked to postmenopausal changes.

Related Community Posts Join

6 / 663 results

community If You Have DUPA, PLEASE READ THIS: Everyone Should Be Scalp Biopsied

in Research 830 upvotes 1 year 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 Dutasteride Isn't Working? Get a Scalp Biopsy NOW

in Finasteride/Dutasteride 19 upvotes 1 year ago

Dutasteride may not be effective for everyone due to underlying issues, suggesting scalp biopsies for further diagnosis. Users discuss using higher doses of dutasteride, topical treatments, minoxidil, and pyrilutamide for hair loss management.

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

in Chat 10 upvotes 1 year 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 Can topical tretinoin only applied to face (not hairline) exacerbate hair loss?

in Chat 7 upvotes 1 month ago

Topical tretinoin applied to the face may exacerbate hair loss in some individuals, potentially triggering conditions like frontal fibrosing alopecia. Experiences vary, with some users reporting no impact on hair, while others experience significant hair loss.

community Hairloss all over body and head

in Treatment 2 upvotes 1 month ago

A 25-year-old experiencing hair thinning all over the body and head, despite using minoxidil and having low vitamin D levels, is advised to seek a second opinion from a dermatologist specializing in hair loss. The likely diagnosis is diffuse alopecia areata, which may require treatment with a JAK inhibitor.

community can someone help me identify these pls

in Treatment 3 months ago

The user is experiencing diffuse thinning and inflammation despite using 2.5mg dutasteride daily, ciclopirox, and ketoconazole shampoos. They are considering treatments like hydroxychloroquine and JAK inhibitors due to suspected scarring alopecia and have faced challenges in obtaining a scalp biopsy.

Related Research

9 / 9 results

research Bitemporal Scalp Hair Loss: Differential Diagnosis of Nonscarring and Scarring Conditions

2 citations , February 2021 in “The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology”

Understanding the cause of bitemporal hair loss is key to deciding the right treatment.

research Gynecologic and Hormonal Comorbidities of Scarring Alopecia: A Retrospective Review

April 2019 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

Women with scarring alopecia are less likely to have used hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives compared to those with female pattern hair loss.