Refractory Alopecia Areata With Single Hairs Imitating Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Prospective Observational Study

December 2023 in “ International Journal of Dermatology ”

Rui Qiao, Jiaping Zhu, Yi Liu, Xiaohui Zhao, Jin Nie, Xuemei Lan, Yufen Li, Yiqun Jiang

alopecia areata frontal fibrosing alopecia telogen hair follicles anagen hair pilosebaceous units CD3+ T lymphocytes mast cells

TLDR A unique type of hair loss mimics another condition but has minimal inflammation and specific immune cells present.

The study identifies a unique variant of alopecia areata (AA) characterized by an increase in telogen hair follicles and the presence of a single anagen hair in one or more pilosebaceous units, mimicking frontal fibrosing alopecia. The pathological basis involves minimal inflammation, with CD3<sup>+</sup> T lymphocytes and mast cells present in the microenvironment. This prospective observational study provides insights into the distinct features of this AA variant, contributing to a better understanding of its clinical presentation and underlying mechanisms.

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Research cited in this study

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research Updated Diagnostic Criteria for Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia

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New criteria for diagnosing frontal fibrosing alopecia include specific scalp and eyebrow hair loss as major factors and other hair loss areas and hair analysis as minor factors.

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Isolated long hairs at the original hairline can help diagnose Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia.

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