FRONTAL FIBROSING ALOPECIA

SYMPTOMS

Frontal fibrosing alopecia causes hair loss along the hairline. This area’s skin might seem normal or:

• Pale
• Scarred
• Shiny

Eyebrow loss is the other main sign of FFA. Other early signs of FFA could be:

• Hyperpigmentation or the dark brown or gray patches of skin on your face and neck
• Pain or itching on your head (pruritis).
• Your face has a lot of veins.
• Rosacea.
• Small bumps that look like pimples near your hairline or on your face or head

Some of the less usual signs of frontal fibrosing alopecia are:

• Legs or arms
• Eyelashes
• Face
• Pubic country
• Underarms

DIAGNOSIS

Your healthcare provider will ask about the following:

• Health history
• Drugs you take
• Symptoms, such as when your hair loss started and where on your body it happened.

Will examine you physically and closely watch for:

• Eyebrows
• Hairline
• Scalp

A skin biopsy may be performed. When they do the test, they’ll:

• Make a small part of your head feel numb
• Take off a little bit of skin
• Examine the skin using a microscope

May do other tests as well, such as:

• Hair pull test
• Fixing a small bump on your face

Your doctor may use these tests to rule out problems like:

• Traction alopecia
• Androgenic alopecia

TREATMENT

The condition of frontal fibrosing alopecia is incurable. However, some treatments may delay its development. Your doctor could advise taking a number of drugs at once, such as:

• Antibiotics, like doxycycline or minocycline
• Corticosteroids
• Finasteride (Propecia®) or dutasteride
• Hydroxychloroquine
• Minoxidil

Other treatments might be:

• Hair grafts, which might aid with hair growth when FFA has inhibited its development.
• Laser treatment may be used to lessen itching and swelling.