Scarring alopecia: clinical and pathologic study of 54 African-American women.
BACKGROUND
Cicatricial or scarring alopecia results in the destruction of hair follicles and is a significant cosmetic concern in African-American women.


OBJECTIVE
To correlate the clinical examination and histologic findings in African-American women with scarring alopecia with a history of hairstyling practices.


METHODS
We reviewed retrospectively the medical records and scalp biopsy specimens of 54 women with scarring alopecia. Patients were selected from two dermatologic practices in the Detroit Metropolitan area.


RESULTS
Alopecia commonly presents in patients who use a variety of traumatic haircare techniques, including chemical and physical straighteners, traction, braiding, hair extensions, hair gluing, and chemical curls. Histologic findings are centered around the follicular infundibulum with a lymphocytic infiltrate and perifollicular fibrosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Traumatic hairstyling techniques are common in African-American women, and all result in a similar picture of a peri-infundibular lymphocytic infiltrate and fibrosis, leading to alopecia.
Borovicka
Judy H
JH
Department of Dermatology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Thomas
Lorna
L
Prince
Carol
C
Mehregan
Darius R
DR
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000505:Alopecia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000473:pathology; D006203:Hair Preparations / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012535:Scalp / Q000293:injuries; D055815:Young Adult
D006203:Hair Preparations