Unusual Patterns of Presentation of Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Clinical and Trichoscopic Analysis of 98 Patients

    June 2017 in “ Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology ”
    Alfredo Rossi, Sara Grassi, Maria Caterina Fortuna, Valentina Garelli, Guglielmo Pranteda, Gemma Caro, Marta Carlesimo
    Image of study
    TLDR Trichoscopy helps diagnose frontal fibrosing alopecia, even with unusual patterns.
    The study titled "Unusual patterns of presentation of frontal fibrosing alopecia: A clinical and trichoscopic analysis of 98 patients" analyzed the clinical and trichoscopic features of frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) in 98 patients (4 men and 94 women) who were seen at a Dermatologic Clinic between 2003 and 2016. The diagnosis of FFA was based on clinical and trichoscopic findings. The study found that while 80 patients presented with typical clinical features of FFA, 18.4% of the postmenopausal patients showed unusual patterns. These included an "AGA-like pattern" where there was a marked and symmetric recession of frontotemporal hairlines, a "cockade-like pattern" with bilateral oval patches of alopecia in the temporal regions, and an "ophiasis-like pattern" with continuous involvement of the hairline from frontal to occipital regions. Trichoscopy was effective in diagnosing FFA in these unusual clinical presentations, demonstrating the absence of follicular openings, scattered lone hairs, and single-hair pilosebaceous units. The study concluded that trichoscopy is a useful tool in the differential diagnosis of FFA, especially when clinical presentation is not conclusive.
    Discuss this study in the Community →

    Research cited in this study

    3 / 3 results

    Related Community Posts Join

    6 / 376 results

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

      in Chat  10 upvotes 2 weeks 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 Testosterone and hair loss seeming irrelevance

      in Research/Science  81 upvotes 1 year ago
      The conversation is about the role of testosterone in hair loss and the effectiveness of different treatments. The conclusion is that DHT is the main culprit for hair loss, and finasteride has been proven to work long-term in maintaining and regrowing hair. Testosterone may have a minor effect, but it is not the primary cause of hair loss.
      Diffuse hair loss and scalp biopsies

      community Diffuse hair loss and scalp biopsies

      in Research  692 upvotes 3 months 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 Diffuse thinning is so brutal.

      in Styling  72 upvotes 1 year ago
      A 25-year-old with AGA experienced hair thinning and dandruff, stabilized with topical finasteride and minoxidil but saw minimal regrowth. They seek advice on styling and consider oral minoxidil and microneedling for denser hair.

      community scarring alopecia awareness in this community

      in Chat  33 upvotes 2 years ago
      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.

    Related Research

    6 / 6 results