Cicatricial Alopecia

Cicatricial Alopecia is defined as hair loss associated with damage to the hair follicles that leads to scar tissue and permanent baldness.

You can be affected by a variety of medical conditions that can cause injury and destruction of hair follicles. Some of these conditions may be associated with symptoms such as itching or irritation or soreness, but with others you can lose hair and develop scarring without knowing that it is going on. Sometimes you will have a bald spot or area of hair loss detected by your hair stylist without your knowing that it was there.

This condition has become more common over the past 10-15 years especially related to more frequent practices of using hair extensions and bonding glues on the scalp.

There are three main contributing factors to cicatricial alopecia (or scarring alopecia) which cause female baldness.

Causes of Cicatricial Alopecia

Trauma: Hair can be pulled out by tight curlers or certain hair styles, especially black women’s hair styles, sometimes resulting in permanently thinned areas (traction alopecia). The scalp can also be injured by heat (hair dryers), or chemicals (perming solutions or bleach or glues or dyes).

Infections that may cause cicatricial alopecia include Staphylococcal folliculitis or boils , and animal ringworm infection
( tinea capitis ).

Skin diseases that may cause cicatricial alopecia include: central centrifigual scarring alopecia (CCSA), folliculitis decalvans , lichen planopilaris , frontal fibrosing alopecia , alopecia mucinosa , discoid lupus erythematosus , sarcoidosis, cicatricial pemphigoid, alopecia neoplastica, and scleroderma . Scarring hair loss of unknown cause is known as pseudopelade.

The Cicatricial Alopecia Research Foundation (www.CARFintl.com) is an organization that has been created to help support research and find a cure for this problematic condition. Visit their website for additional information.

Cicatricial Alopecia Photos

Early Cicatricial Alopecia
Scarring is just beginning and hair growth is beginning to get thinner.

Progressive Cicatricial Alopecia
A definite bald spot with scar tissue is present which can lead to placing a hair attachment to hide the baldness.

Advanced Cicatricial Alopecia
Progressive baldness and loss of hair has taken place with severe permanent hair loss.

More information on Cicatricial Alopecia...

1) Ask Dr. Weaver a question or
2) Tell Your story about Hair Loss or Other Scalp Conditions

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

Mrs. Alberson 
Dear Dr. Weaver,

Years ago I was diagnosed with Cicatricial Alopecia. I had a biopsy done and all the testing neccessary. Through the years, I'...

Lenora 
Hi Dr. Weaver,

I'm a patient of yours that is being treated for hair loss. My hair loss looks a lot like the pictures on the Cicatricial Alopecia page,...

SHAWN,RN 
I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH MY HAIR LOST FOR SOMETIME. I WENT TO A DERMATOLOGIST FOR A FEW VISITS. AFTER A BIOPSY HE WAS DONE, I JUST WAS GIVEN THE NAME ...

23 year old blackwoman 
My story started close to 9yrs ago,when I first started to have thinning in the top of my scalp and I thought it may have been caused by over processing ...

MSMe 
I have thinning and some baldness in the crown of my head. I used to get cornrow extensions quite a bit because of previous problems with hair growth....

sj 
Well I have braids in my hair. One day I just got this pain on the left side of my head. When I touched the spot it was smooth but very sore. It almost ...

Mystery in PA  Not rated yet
Hello Dr. Weaver,
I am an African American female (27 years old) who is currently battling the onset of hairloss.
A few years ago I began to notice ...

btimberlake@durhamcountync.gov  Not rated yet
I have baldness in the crown of my cranial area and on the right and left side of the temple area. Can you help me.

RESPONSE

There are many possibilities ...