What is Pseudopelade?

Pseudopelade is also known as Alopecia Cicatrisata. Pseudopelade is a very rare condition primarily affecting women and sometimes children.

Initially, Pseudopelade causes development of well-defined patches of hair loss which for some people may deteriorate to near total scalp hair loss with individual surviving hairs. The history of Pseudopelade for affected individuals is usually slow, lasting many years. For every male affected, three females get Pseudopelade.

Pseudopelade is a poorly defined condition and frequently it is confused with hair loss caused by Lichen Planopilaris or Lupus Erythematosus. Indeed some claim that Lichen Planopilaris and Pseudopelade are one and the same condition. Diagnosis of Pseudopelade can be quite difficult, but some basic clinical pointers to look for in the early stages include irregular shaped and confluent patches of alopecia and some inflammation (erythema). A skin biopsy can help significantly.

It is not understood how or why Pseudopelade occurs, although some experts suspect that it is another autoimmune-based form of hair loss. Alopecia Areata is widely regarded as an autoimmune-based mechanism of hair loss. However, Pseudopelade is not the same as Alopecia Areata as the inflammation with Pseudopelade is typically around the upper hair follicle whereas the inflammation with Alopecia Areata is primarily around the lower hair follicle bulb region. In addition, while Alopecia Areata can persist indefinitely, Pseudopelade progresses, sometimes over several years, and then stops. The result is patches of hair loss where the hair follicles are generally destroyed. The inflammation in the skin subsides at the same time as the hair loss stops.