What is the age of onset of CCCA? The onset of CCCA is very slow, typically developing over the course of years. Patients usually present with thinning and balding of the scalp in their second to fourth decade of life.
Noticeable hair loss: Center of the scalp
The first sign is usually noticeable hair loss in the center of the scalp. This is why you see the word “central” in the name. Instead of developing one patch in the center of the scalp, a few people with CCCA develop scattered patches of hair loss on their scalp.
Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA): CCCA is the most common type of hair loss in women, especially Black women. It usually occurs around age 30. CCCA often starts as a bald patch on the crown of your scalp and then spreads outward.
CCCA typically begins as a slight patch of hair thinning on the midline of the crown (top) of the scalp. Over time, the patch expands outwards in all directions (described as a centrifugal pattern) and the severity of hair loss increases, with the most severe hair loss remaining in the center.
Anyone can have alopecia areata. Men and women can both get it, and it affects all racial and ethnic groups. It can begin at any age, but most people get it in their teens, twenties, or thirties. When it occurs in children younger than age 10, it tends to be more extensive and progressive.
Results: The age of peak incidence of AA was 0-5 years. The youngest child was 1 year old.
Stage 1: There's little or no hair loss or hairline recession. Stage 2: There's slight hair loss near the skin between your ears and forehead (temples). Stage 3: You have deep hairline recession around your temples, and your hairline may have an “M” or “U” shape.
Various hairstyling practices have been studied as potentially causing CCCA, but none has been definitively linked to the condition. A combination of factors such as infections (bacterial and fungal), genetics, autoimmune disease, and other unknown factors may play a role in this disease.
In the early stages of traction alopecia, the hair loss may be mild, with minimal thinning in the frontal hairline that regrows after discontinuing the traction-related hairstyles. People may feel tenderness, stinging, or pain in the area of hair loss.
There are a variety of reasons patients develop scarring alopecia, including inflammatory skin diseases, chronic hair styling habits, infection and trauma. As a board certified dermatologist, Dr.
Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA)
Some people also have hair regrowth when treatment starts early. Early treatment is important because this disease destroys hair follicles. These are tiny pores (or openings) in your scalp from which your hair grows.
Indeed, CCCA itch is often accompanied by burning, tenderness and/or pricking sensations1,2 that appear to correspond to sensations accompanying cowhage-induced itch. Cowhage spicules elicit itch by stimulating protease-activated receptor (PAR)-2 in the skin.
[9] CCCA, at its end stages, is irreversible, as the follicular epithelium has been replaced by connective tissues. [12] Additionally, pustules and crusting may be found in patients with superimposed folliculitis decalvans.
What are the early symptoms of scarring alopecia? Early symptoms include itching, burning, and redness around hair follicles, followed by gradual hair thinning and the appearance of bald patches with a shiny or scarred surface.
Generally speaking, it's never too late to fix traction alopecia. The condition can be treated at any point – whether you're in the early stages or a more advanced phase.
So dead hair follicles can look like a smooth, bald patch of skin or like a scar. A trichologist may be able to get a better view of your follicles by using a microscope or other trichological tools.
Sudden hair loss can be temporary due to stressors, hormonal changes, medications, and other environmental factors. However, hair loss can also be permanent depending on the cause and how it affects the hair growth cycle.
Testing for vitamin D deficiency should be considered in patients with alopecia due to its high prevalence. While supplementation is controversial, we recommend giving cholecalciferol 50,000 IU once weekly for 12 weeks followed by 2,000 IU daily.
Oral doxycycline (or other tetracycline antibiotics) up to 200 mg per d is appropriate (alone or in combination) up to 6 mo in the treatment of adults with active CCCA. Oral antibiotics are appropriate (alone or in combination) for treatment of adults with active CCCA. CCCA, Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia.
Comorbid seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp is a common finding in CCCA patients, and is attributable to a myriad of factors that limit the frequency of hair washing to no more than once every one to two weeks for a number of women with textured hair.
Hair loss is easiest to reverse when it is treated early and quickly before any severe balding has begun. If you are able to recognize the early stages of male pattern hair loss, you will be able to seek treatment sooner, and ultimately retain a full head of hair.
So the thick, coarse hair of a young adult eventually becomes thin, fine, light-colored hair. Many hair follicles stop producing new hairs. Men may start showing signs of baldness by the time they are 30 years old. Many men are nearly bald by age 60.