Using Scanning Electron Microscopy to Elucidate the Role of Hair Shaft Malformation in the Pathogenesis of Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia

The study investigated the role of hair shaft malformation in Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia (CCCA), a scarring alopecia prevalent in black women, by examining hair samples under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It focused on the genetic basis of CCCA, particularly the PID3 gene, which is linked to hair shaft formation and uncombable hair syndrome. Hair samples from CCCA patients and controls were analyzed for cross-sectional shape, area, aspect ratio, and circularity using ImageJ software. The findings aimed to clarify how hair shaft differences contribute to CCCA's pathogenesis.