Transplanting into Areas of Cicatricial Alopecia

October 2022 in “ Hair Transplantation ”

cicatricial alopecia hair transplantation scar tissue lichen planopilaris frontal fibrosing alopecia

TLDR Surgical correction of cicatricial alopecia requires careful planning, with excision preferred over hair transplantation, and surgery should be delayed for stable conditions.

The document discussed the surgical correction of cicatricial alopecia, emphasizing the balance between achieving cosmetic results and respecting scar tissue characteristics. Excision of scar tissue was preferred when possible, as it provided immediate results without using donor hair. When excision was not feasible, hair transplantation was an option, though initial recipient site density was limited to 20-25/cm², often necessitating a second surgery. It was crucial for surgeons to differentiate between stable and unstable cicatricial alopecias, such as lichen planopilaris and frontal fibrosing alopecia, which were increasing in prevalence and challenging to diagnose. These conditions required prompt medical treatment, and surgery was ideally delayed until at least 2 years of quiescence, with continued medical surveillance post-surgery.

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Research cited in this study

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Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Disease Fascinating for the Researcher, Disappointing for the Clinician and Distressing for the Patient

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research Is Hair Transplantation Indicated in Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia? The Results of Test Grafting in Three Patients

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Hair transplantation might work for some people with frontal fibrosing alopecia, but more research is needed.

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research The Surgical Treatment of Cicatricial Alopecia

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The document concludes that surgery is a preferred treatment for cicatricial alopecia, with the method chosen based on individual factors and may require multiple sessions and careful postoperative care.

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

nkrata 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.

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Men with hair loss might have lichen planopilaris (LPP), which can mimic androgenetic alopecia, leading to misdiagnosis and ineffective treatment with finasteride or dutasteride. Proper diagnosis, including biopsies, is crucial to distinguish between androgenetic alopecia and conditions like LPP.

community scarring alopecia awareness in this community

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Lichen Planopilaris (LPP), a form of permanent hair loss, which can be mistaken for seborrheic dermatitis and is characterized by scalp itching, burning, redness, and dandruff. Treatment options discussed include steroidal creams, finasteride, minoxidil, and RU58841.

community Don't leave a boy hanging, try to help.

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A user shared their success with oral finasteride and topical minoxidil for hair loss, recommending these treatments to others. They emphasized the importance of informing others about effective treatments rather than relying on supplements.

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A user was prescribed 5mg of Finasteride daily for hair loss, which is a higher dose typically used for prostate issues. Many suggest using a pill cutter to reduce the dose to 1mg or less per day, as it is more cost-effective and equally effective for hair loss.

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