Scarring Alopecia

Hi Dr. Rassman,

I am a twenty year old female who have been diagonised with scarring alopecia after going to a dermatologist in regards to my hair breaking off in the center of my head. About a year and a half ago, after I took out the braids I had in my hair, about two of my braids that was located in the center of my head came out. I figured this happened because my hair might have been braided to tight so I didn’t worry to much about it. Well a few months later I got my hair braided again and when I took my braids out this happened again. After a months of waiting for my hair to grow back which it didn’t it just spreaded and became so noticeable that I had to get my hair cut to length of the bald spot, at this point I decided it was time to see a dermatologist.

At my first visit he couldn’t see if any thing was wrong with my hair because I don’t have total baldness, just in the area where my hair came out at it is thinner and dryer than the rest of my hair. So, he suggested to do a biopsy and the results of biopsy was that I have scarring alopecia. The PA gave me my results and told me that there is nothing I can do,but I plan on seeing another dermatologist. My questions to you is what you think I can to do to help my hair grow back or what can I do to stop it from thinning and is there any treatments for scarring alopecia.

Thank you very much for taking the time out to read my question!

Stop braiding your hair.

The classic scarring alopecia diagnosis reflects an autoimmune process and it may occur from a wide variety of medical conditions, but what you are describing sounds like traction alopecia from the braids and scarring reaction to it. You need to get some insights into the biopsy that was done. Go back to your dermatologist and have that conversation with him/her. For more information click here.