Scarring Alopecia or sometimes referred to as Cicatricial alopecia. It is a rare condition in which inflammation destroys the hair follicles and leaves behind scar tissue in the affected areas. The hair loss can be permanent. For some people, this disorder can happen slowly and gradually, very hard to diagnose. For others, the symptoms can be in the form of severe itching, burning, pain and can progress rapidly. The inflammation that destroys the follicle is below the skin surface and there is usually no "scar" seen on the scalp. Affected areas of the scalp may show little signs of inflammation, or have redness, scaling, increased or decreased pigmentation, pustules, or draining sinuses. This type of alopecia or baldness can happen to both men and women of all ages in any parts of the world.

This type of alopecia can be classified as primary or secondary. In primary cicatricial alopecias, the hair follicle is the target of the destructive inflammatory process and nothing else. In secondary cicatricial alopecias, destruction of the hair follicle is incidental to a non-follicle-directed process or external injury, such as severe infections, burns, radiation, or tumors.

Primary cicatricial alopecias are further classified by the type of inflammatory cells that destroy the hair follicle during the active stage of the disease. The inflammation may predominantly involve lymphocytes or neutrophils. Cicatricial alopecias that predominantly involve lymphocytic inflammation include lichen planopilaris, frontal fibrosing alopecia, chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus, central centrifugal alopecia, pseudopelade (Brocq), alopecia mucinosa, and keratosis follicularis spinulosa decalvans. Cicatricial alopecias that are due to predominantly neutrophilic inflammation include folliculitis decalvans, tufted folliculitis, and dissecting cellulitis. Sometimes the inflammation shifts from a predominantly neutrophilic process to a lymphocytic process. Cicatricial alopecias with a mixed inflammatory infiltrate include folliculitis keloidalis and erosive pustular dermatosis.

The cause of the various cicatricial alopecias is not well understood. The only known causes so far is inflammation directed at the hair follicle level, usually the upper part of the follicle where the stem cells and sebaceous gland (oil gland) are located. If the stem cells are destroyed, and the sebaceous gland as well, there is then no possibility for regeneration of the hair follicle. The hair loss will be permanent.

Other Stories

Eyelash transplant results by Dr. Robert Jones, using minimally invasive FUE hair transplant technique. No knife, no scalpel, no stitches,  no visible scarring. This technique can work very well for both eyebrow and eyelash loss. Very often, 1 session is all it takes.

Featured video: Dr. Armani hair transplantation. Find out what makes Dr. Armani one of the most celebrated names in hair transplantation, the essence of combining cutting edge scientific techniques with artistry, every patient is like a page taken out of GQ magazine!

Questions about Hair Loss? Answers within 48 hours read PRIVACY STATEMENT first
Your E-Mail	Gender
Age	City, Sate, Country
Your Questions:    Anti Spam Verification   enter the text as it appears above before clicking the submit button below