Clinical Features of 109 Patients With Primary Cicatricial Alopecia: A 15-Year Retrospective Study
January 2026
in “
Acta Dermatovenerologica Alpina Pannonica et Adriatica
”
primary cicatricial alopecia PCA hair follicles fibrous tissue lymphocytic neutrophilic mixed inflammatory cells nonspecific inflammatory cells chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus lichen planopilaris folliculitis decalvans scarring alopecia hair follicle destruction fibrosis inflammatory cells lupus lichen planus folliculitis
TLDR Primary cicatricial alopecia causes permanent hair loss by destroying hair follicles, and its exact cause is unknown.
The study retrospectively analyzed 109 patients with primary cicatricial alopecia (PCA) over 15 years, focusing on the clinical features and histological classification of PCA. PCA is characterized by irreversible destruction of hair follicles, replaced by fibrous tissue, and is classified based on the predominant inflammatory cell type: lymphocytic, neutrophilic, mixed, or nonspecific. Lymphocytic types include conditions like chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus and lichen planopilaris, while neutrophilic types include folliculitis decalvans. The prevalence of PCA among hair loss patients ranges from 2.1% to 7.3%, with one study reporting PCA as 6% of all hair diseases. The exact cause of PCA remains unknown.
