Dermatoscopic Evaluation of Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia Beyond the Vertex Scalp

July 2020 in “ JAMA dermatology ”

Kayla Felix, Brianna De Souza, Nataly Portilla, Latrice Hogue, Christine S. Ahn, Omar P. Sangüeza, Amy Mcmichael

Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia CCCA dermatoscopy histopathologic findings vertex scalp patchy hair loss subclinical CCCA

TLDR Dermatoscopy can help diagnose CCCA without visible hair loss, offering a less invasive option than biopsy.

The study investigated the use of dermatoscopy as a diagnostic tool for Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia (CCCA) beyond the vertex scalp, particularly in African American individuals. It aimed to determine if dermatoscopic and histopathologic findings could identify CCCA in areas without visible hair loss, suggesting that CCCA might manifest as patchy hair loss beyond the vertex. The study found that dermatoscopy could potentially serve as a less invasive alternative to biopsy for diagnosing subclinical CCCA, highlighting its reliability in detecting the disease even in the absence of clinically active symptoms.