A very useful trichoscopy clue for distinguishing frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) from androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the presence of vellus hairs – or what some call “baby hairs.”
In AGA, miniaturized (vellus-like) hairs are typically preserved and can often be seen along the frontal hairline. In FFA, these tiny hairs are progressively lost as inflammation targets and destroys the follicles.
SO REMEMBER:
Presence of vellus hairs favors AGA
Absence of vellus hairs favors FFA
This article was written by Dr. Jeff Donovan, a Canadian and US board certified dermatologist specializing exclusively in hair loss.
