Scarring alopecia

Medical terms

Scarring alopecia, cicatricial alopecia

Common terms

Scarring alopecia

Overview

Scarring alopecia occurs in healthy men and women of all ages and involves permanent and irreversible destruction of hair follicles and replacement by scar tissue

Symptoms and signs

Small patches of hair loss that expand with time. Edges of the bald patches may look ‘ragged’. The hair loss may be associated with itching, burning and pain. Affected areas may be smooth or have redness, scaling or decreased pigmentation.

Treatment

The nature of the treatment depends on the diagnosis and can involve treatment with topical steroid creams and injections, the use of antibiotics or other systemic treatments.