Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia Preceding the Development of Vitiligo: A Case Report
January 2020
in “
JAAD case reports
”
TLDR Hair loss condition FFA was seen before the appearance of skin depigmentation vitiligo in a patient.
This case report described a 43-year-old Egyptian woman with frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) who developed vitiligo, an unusual sequence as vitiligo typically precedes scarring alopecia. The patient experienced rapid hair loss following the appearance of a depigmented lesion, likely triggered by paraphenylenediamine (PPD) in hair dye. Histologic findings confirmed FFA, and clinical observations supported chemical-induced vitiligo. The case suggested that FFA might precede vitiligo due to an indolent inflammatory process that intensifies, leading to follicular stem cell destruction and melanocyte loss. This challenges previous theories and underscores the complex relationship between these conditions, necessitating further research.
