Pili Trianguli Et Canaliculati as a Phenotypic Subtype in Patients with Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia: A Scanning Electron Microscopy Study

May 2020 in “ Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology ”

Erinolaoluwa F. Araoye, Jamael Thomas, LaToya Ann Roker, Ncoza C. Dlova, Crystal Aguh

central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia scarring alopecia PADI3 gene uncombable hair syndrome pili trianguli et canaliculi hair shaft scanning electron microscopy CCCA SEM PTEC

TLDR Hair shaft changes may be linked to CCCA, but their role is unclear.

The study investigated the hair shaft characteristics in patients with central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). CCCA is a scarring alopecia that predominantly affected black women and was associated with genetic variants of the PADI3 gene in about 25% of cases. This gene was also linked to uncombable hair syndrome, characterized by hair shafts with triangular or heart-shaped cross-sections and longitudinal grooving, known as pili trianguli et canaliculi (PTEC). The study aimed to clarify the role of these hair shaft changes in CCCA, although the exact implications remained unclear.

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