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Copyright ©The Author(s) 2015. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Dermatol. Feb 2, 2015; 4(1): 33-43
Published online Feb 2, 2015. doi: 10.5314/wjd.v4.i1.33
Frontal fibrosing alopecia update
Anna Lyakhovitsky, Aviv Barzilai, Boaz Amichai
Anna Lyakhovitsky, Aviv Barzilai, Department of Dermatology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Aviv University, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Hashomer 52621, Israel
Boaz Amichai, Department of Dermatology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar-Saba, Tel-Aviv University, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Hashomer 52621, Israel
Author contributions: All authors contributed to this manuscript.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Correspondence to: Anna Lyakhovitsky, MD, Department of Dermatology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Aviv University, Sackler School of Medicine, PO Box 39040, Tel Hashomer 52621, Israel. annalyderm@gmail.com
Telephone: +972-3-5302443 Fax: +972-3-5304969
Received: September 27, 2014
Peer-review started: September 28, 2014
First decision: November 19, 2014
Revised: December 1, 2014
Accepted: December 18, 2014
Article in press: December 19, 2014
Published online: February 2, 2015
Processing time: 115 Days and 9.3 Hours
Abstract

Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) is a recently described form of primary cicatricial alopecia, characterized by progressive recession of the frontotemporal hairline and eyebrow loss, occurring predominantly in postmenopausal women. The incidence of FFA has increased significantly during the last decade and we may be facing an epidemic of the disease. Because this condition causes permanent hair loss, prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential for obtaining optimal outcome. This article reviews existing knowledge on epidemiology, etiopathogenesis, clinico-histological features, diagnosis, and treatment modalities of FFA.

Keywords: Cicatricial alopecia; Scarring alopecia; Frontal fibrosing alopecia; Lichen planopilaris; Hair loss

Core tip: Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) is a recently described form of primary cicatricial alopecia, characterized by progressive recession of the frontotemporal hairline and eyebrow loss, occurring predominantly in postmenopausal women. The incidence of FFA has increased significantly during the last decade and we may be facing an epidemic of the disease. Because this condition causes permanent hair loss, prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential for obtaining optimal outcome. This article reviews existing knowledge on epidemiology, etiopathogenesis, clinico-histological features, diagnosis, and treatment modalities of FFA.