Primary Cicatricial Alopecia Successfully Treated with A Combination of Oral Zinc with Nd: YAG Laser. A Case Series of Five Patients

Abstract

Cicatricial (Scarring) alopecia (CA) refers to a group of uncommon inflammatory hair loss disorders which are characterized by the destruction of the hair follicle unit that is replaced by fibrous tissue and result in permanent hair loss. Clinically there is loss of visible follicular ostia. CAs are classified as primary cicatricial alopecia (PCA), secondary cicatricial alopecia and development/hereditary CA. In primary cicatricial alopecia (PCA), the hair follicle is the main target for destruction with sparing of the interfollicular reticular dermis. The inflammatory cells target and destroy the stem cells in the bulge area of hair follicles. PCA are divided into subgroups depending upon the predominant inflammatory infiltrates. The neutrophilic PCA group comprises folliculitis decalvans (FD) and dissecting cellulitis/folliculitis of the scalp (perifolliculitis abscedens et suffodiens) [1-5]. We here report five cases PCA showing complete remission after treatment based on oral zinc in combination with Nd:YAG laser