Lichen planopilaris is a scarring alopecia. Treatments are largely focused on reducing inflammation in hopes that by doing so the disease can be stopped. In the present day, there are many aspects of LPP that are difficult to predict. We know to some degree which treatments are better than others. We know the proportion of patients [...]

For the past decade, bacteria have increasingly been proposed to play a role in the autoimmune disease known as lupus. Specifically, research has shown that biofilms containing bacteria are potential triggers of this serious disease. A new fascinating study raises the possibility that bacteria that are commonly found on humans could trigger some of the auto-antibodies [...]

If you follow the medical literature and the unfolding story of a specific type of hair loss known as frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA), you’ve probably come to appreciate that an environmental factor is proposed to somehow be relevant in the mechanisms that lead to frontal fibrosing alopecia (or simply called “FFA”). This environmental factor (if the [...]

Classic trichoscopy of active lichen planopilaris, an immune mediated scarring alopecia is shown below. Classic trichoscopic image from a patient with active lichen planopilaris (LPP) There is redness and scale around hairs (called perifollicular erythema and perifollicular scale). Some hairs are twisted (called pili torti). The areas of scalp devoid of hairs are no longer red [...]

Scarring Alopecia: Clues that You’re Off Track and How to get back On Track Scarring alopecias are hair loss conditions that have the potential to cause permanent hair loss. Patients often have scalp itchiness and may also expeirence burning in the scalp as well. Increased shedding is common. There is a lot of misinformation about these [...]

he Case of Compound Follicles “Compound follicles” are follicles with 6 or more hairs coming out of a single pore. Occasionally, follicles with 4,5 and rarely 6 hairs coming out of a single pore can be found as an isolated finding- especially towards the more posterior regions of the scalp. But large groupings of hairs like [...]

Folliculitis decalvans is an uncommon scarring alopecia. The cause is not entirely known although it is often associated with the presence of bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus. Patients experience itching, burning and tenderness in the scalp and often have pustules. The hair loss that the patients experience is often permanent. The mainstays of treatment to date [...]

Five leaf clovers are much more common than people realize. It’s just that people don’t always think about it when looking in a patch of clovers or if they are on the lookout for it, they don’t quite have the skills that allow them to be spotted. Scarring alopecias are also much more common than clinicians [...]