Hello everyone,
As part of Alopecia Awareness Month here at Black Venus Beauty, we are raising awareness of the different forms of alopecia. We believe that more awareness should be raised so anyone suffering from alopecia does not feel ashamed and knows that help and various solutions are available. As we mentioned before, we are not professional experts, so we advise you to contact a GP or professional expert if you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned below.
In this post, we will continue with Frontal Fribrosing Alopecia.
Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia (FFA)
It is an auto immune condition and form of scarring alopecia where the immune system attacks the hair follicles.
White postmenopausal women are mostly affected but it can occur in premenopausal women, men, and people of other ethnicities.
How does it look like?
The front of the scalp is affected most but there may also be hair loss from the scalp near the ears and eyebrows. The frontal hairline progressively recedes over time as the hair follicles are destroyed.
People suffering with FFA may experience itchy, painful, or burning sensations in a band across the frontal hairline.
What are the causes?
Cells called lymphocytes are part of the body’s immune system which attack the hair follicles causing them to shrink and stop producing hair.
Once a hair has fallen out from this area it will not re-grow and the skin will appear paler and smoother.
Research shows that genetics, overactivity of the body’s immune system and possibly hormones play a role in FFA.
How is it diagnosed?
FFA is diagnosed through a scalp examination accompanied by a scalp biopsy from the edge of the affected area.
In some cases, a skin biopsy may be required to confirm diagnosis.
How is it treated?
Steroid gels, lotions or creams can be applied to the skin on the front of the scalp to help with hair regrowth. Steroid injections can also be used to help settle any inflammation or slow the progression of hair loss.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, we recommend contacting your GP straight away. Please note we are not professional experts so there may be additional symptoms which are not listed above.
Here at Black Venus Beauty we pride ourselves on providing the best quality products for curly and afro hair. We want to unlock the potential of your hair and provide products specific to the needs of your hair, including preventing types of alopecia.
If you are interested in learning more about alopecia check our next post on Androgenetic Alopecia.
Source : British Association of Dermatologists
Blog post written in partnership with Rachel from Selfless Sisters