Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Histopathological Comparison of the Frontal Hairline with Normal-Appearing Scalp
Frontal fibrosing alopecia is characterized by the presence of a lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate around the upper follicle and by perifollicular fibrosis, which results in the destruction of the hair follicle. Recent reports have also found the presence of those findings in clinically unaffected...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-07-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/14/4121 |
| _version_ | 1797433441853112320 |
|---|---|
| author | María Librada Porriño-Bustamante Fernando Javier Pinedo-Moraleda Ángel Fernández-Flores Trinidad Montero-Vílchez María Antonia Fernández-Pugnaire Salvador Arias-Santiago |
| author_facet | María Librada Porriño-Bustamante Fernando Javier Pinedo-Moraleda Ángel Fernández-Flores Trinidad Montero-Vílchez María Antonia Fernández-Pugnaire Salvador Arias-Santiago |
| author_sort | María Librada Porriño-Bustamante |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Frontal fibrosing alopecia is characterized by the presence of a lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate around the upper follicle and by perifollicular fibrosis, which results in the destruction of the hair follicle. Recent reports have also found the presence of those findings in clinically unaffected areas. The aim of this report is to perform a deeper analysis of the histopathological features of this apparently unaffected scalp. A cross-sectional study including 52 women with frontal fibrosing alopecia was performed. Two areas were biopsied: the frontal hairline and a normal-appearing scalp area. Sebaceous glands were reduced/absent in 80.8% of the frontal hairline samples compared to 42.3% of the “healthy scalp” samples (<i>p</i> = 0.001). Inflammatory infiltrate was observed in 92.3% of patients in the frontal hairline and in 86.5% of them in the “healthy scalp” area (<i>p</i> = 0.508), although the severity was higher in the former (<i>p</i> = 0.013). Follicular epithelium changes were seen in 70.6% of the frontal hairline biopsies compared to 48.1% of the “healthy scalp” biopsies (<i>p</i> = 0.012). Fibrous tissular changes were noted in 80.8% and 53.8% of the frontal hairline and “healthy scalp” biopsies, respectively (<i>p</i> = 0.003). In conclusion, the histopathological features of frontal fibrosing alopecia are shared by both affected and clinically unaffected areas. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:17:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2721d1613b2842179b352dcdc3ac4062 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0383 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:17:06Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-2721d1613b2842179b352dcdc3ac40622023-12-01T22:18:20ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832022-07-011114412110.3390/jcm11144121Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Histopathological Comparison of the Frontal Hairline with Normal-Appearing ScalpMaría Librada Porriño-Bustamante0Fernando Javier Pinedo-Moraleda1Ángel Fernández-Flores2Trinidad Montero-Vílchez3María Antonia Fernández-Pugnaire4Salvador Arias-Santiago5Dermatology Department, University Hospital La Zarzuela, 28023 Madrid, SpainPathology Department, University Hospital Alcorcón Foundation, 28922 Alcorcón, SpainPathology Department, University Hospital El Bierzo, 24404 Ponferrada, SpainDermatology Department, University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves, 18014 Granada, SpainDermatology Department, University Hospital San Cecilio, 18016 Granada, SpainDermatology Department, University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves, 18014 Granada, SpainFrontal fibrosing alopecia is characterized by the presence of a lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate around the upper follicle and by perifollicular fibrosis, which results in the destruction of the hair follicle. Recent reports have also found the presence of those findings in clinically unaffected areas. The aim of this report is to perform a deeper analysis of the histopathological features of this apparently unaffected scalp. A cross-sectional study including 52 women with frontal fibrosing alopecia was performed. Two areas were biopsied: the frontal hairline and a normal-appearing scalp area. Sebaceous glands were reduced/absent in 80.8% of the frontal hairline samples compared to 42.3% of the “healthy scalp” samples (<i>p</i> = 0.001). Inflammatory infiltrate was observed in 92.3% of patients in the frontal hairline and in 86.5% of them in the “healthy scalp” area (<i>p</i> = 0.508), although the severity was higher in the former (<i>p</i> = 0.013). Follicular epithelium changes were seen in 70.6% of the frontal hairline biopsies compared to 48.1% of the “healthy scalp” biopsies (<i>p</i> = 0.012). Fibrous tissular changes were noted in 80.8% and 53.8% of the frontal hairline and “healthy scalp” biopsies, respectively (<i>p</i> = 0.003). In conclusion, the histopathological features of frontal fibrosing alopecia are shared by both affected and clinically unaffected areas.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/14/4121frontal fibrosing alopeciascarring alopeciahistopathology |
| spellingShingle | María Librada Porriño-Bustamante Fernando Javier Pinedo-Moraleda Ángel Fernández-Flores Trinidad Montero-Vílchez María Antonia Fernández-Pugnaire Salvador Arias-Santiago Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Histopathological Comparison of the Frontal Hairline with Normal-Appearing Scalp Journal of Clinical Medicine frontal fibrosing alopecia scarring alopecia histopathology |
| title | Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Histopathological Comparison of the Frontal Hairline with Normal-Appearing Scalp |
| title_full | Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Histopathological Comparison of the Frontal Hairline with Normal-Appearing Scalp |
| title_fullStr | Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Histopathological Comparison of the Frontal Hairline with Normal-Appearing Scalp |
| title_full_unstemmed | Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Histopathological Comparison of the Frontal Hairline with Normal-Appearing Scalp |
| title_short | Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Histopathological Comparison of the Frontal Hairline with Normal-Appearing Scalp |
| title_sort | frontal fibrosing alopecia a histopathological comparison of the frontal hairline with normal appearing scalp |
| topic | frontal fibrosing alopecia scarring alopecia histopathology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/14/4121 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marialibradaporrinobustamante frontalfibrosingalopeciaahistopathologicalcomparisonofthefrontalhairlinewithnormalappearingscalp AT fernandojavierpinedomoraleda frontalfibrosingalopeciaahistopathologicalcomparisonofthefrontalhairlinewithnormalappearingscalp AT angelfernandezflores frontalfibrosingalopeciaahistopathologicalcomparisonofthefrontalhairlinewithnormalappearingscalp AT trinidadmonterovilchez frontalfibrosingalopeciaahistopathologicalcomparisonofthefrontalhairlinewithnormalappearingscalp AT mariaantoniafernandezpugnaire frontalfibrosingalopeciaahistopathologicalcomparisonofthefrontalhairlinewithnormalappearingscalp AT salvadorariassantiago frontalfibrosingalopeciaahistopathologicalcomparisonofthefrontalhairlinewithnormalappearingscalp |