Traction Alopecia

Excerpt

Traction alopecia develops in individuals who wear hairstyles that exert continuous pulling on the hair roots. Women of African descent with tightly curled hair are most commonly affected. The condition is preventable with appropriate education.

Traction alopecia typically presents with hair loss along tension-bearing areas, such as the temporal and preauricular regions. Early signs include folliculitis, hair casts, reduced hair density, and broken hairs, which may progress to scarring alopecia if traction continues. Diagnosis relies on clinical examination, with dermoscopy aiding in detecting characteristic findings like hair casts and follicular miniaturization. The Marginal Traction Alopecia Severity Score (M-TAS) helps assess disease severity.

Management depends on the disease stage, with early intervention focusing on reducing hair tension, avoiding chemical treatments, and using corticosteroids for inflammation, while longstanding cases may require hair transplantation. Preventive strategies emphasize patient education on hairstyling modifications, particularly in children and adolescents when hair follicles are most vulnerable.