Intended for healthcare professionals

Early recognition of scarring alopecia: part 1

Hair is a characteristic associated with an individual’s identity and body image. Hair loss (alopecia) can have a profoundly damaging effect on an individual’s self-confidence. Scarring (cicatricial) alopecias are potentially even more devastating conditions as, once scarred, the follicle cannot produce hair any longer and, therefore, such hair loss is irreversible. While there are non-scarring alopecias in which the prospect for hair regrowth may realistically be small, in a scarring process the potential for regrowth is nil.
Dermatology in practice 2008; 16(2): 24–27
To continue reading this article, please sign in or register.