Cicatricial – Scaring Alopecia Areata

Cicatricial alopecia refers to a group of rare skin diseases in which hair follicle get destroyed and replaced by scar tissue. It is one of the rare causes of hair loss. Hair loss could be gradual or sudden. Hair loss could be without any symptoms or it could present with sever itching, burning and pain. There is usually no visible scar, because the inflammation is below the level of skin. Cicatricial alopecia could occur in otherwise healthy men and women of all ages. Cicatricial alopecia or scarring alopecia doesn't necessarily mean that you will have ugly welts and scars on top of your head when the hair loss ceases. It simply means that a significant amount of alternation or injury is taking place inside the scalp, causing scar tissue to emerge. When scar tissue emerges, the membranes responsible for reproducing hair cells to replace fallen hair shafts are damaged permanently. The scarring causes the skin outside to appear shinier than usual. Cicatricial alopecia can be classified as primary or secondary. This discussion is confined to the primary cicatricial alopecias in which the hair follicle is the target of the destructive inflammatory process. 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, tumors, or traction. Cicatricial alopecia can affect both men and women. The majority of patients with cicatricial alopecia have no family history of a similar condition. Central centrifugal alopecia is a type of cicatricial alopecia that is more prevalent among black woman. Frontal fibrosing alopecia on the other hand is seen most commonly in post-menopausal women. 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, central centrifugal alopecia, and pseudopelade (Brocq). 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. A cicatricial alopecia with a mixed inflammatory infiltrate is folliculitis keloidalis. Scarring alopecia can involve a lot of damage and permanent hair loss. For this reason treatment of scarring alopecia should be quite aggressive. The nature of treatment varies depending on the particular diagnosis. Scarring alopecias that involve mostly lymphocyte inflammation of hair follicles, such as lichen planopilaris and pseudopelade, are generally treated with corticosteroids in topical creams and by injection into the affected skin. In addition, antimalarial and isotretinoin drugs may be used. For scarring alopecias with inflammation of mostly neutrophils or a mixture of cells, the typical treatment involves antibiotics and isotretinoin. Drugs like methotrexate, tacrolimus, cyclosporin, and even thalidomide have been used to treat some forms. Marbo Hair is a very popular supplement for people looking for a natural alopecia cure. This product can be effectively used for loss of all body and facial hair. Using regularly Marbo Activator stimulates new hair growth on thinning scalp and bald regions, while your hair becomes firmer and healthier.