Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma Versus Placebo in the Treatment of Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia

Summary

This study aims to investigate whether platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections can help treat central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA), a type of scarring hair loss that mostly affects women of African descent. CCCA is a condition that leads to permanent hair loss, usually starting at the top of the scalp and spreading outward. It can also cause discomfort, such as itching, burning, and pain. The goal is to see if PRP, which comes from the patient's own blood and is thought to reduce inflammation and promote healing, can stop hair loss and even encourage hair regrowth. PRP has been used to treat other types of hair loss, but it has not been widely studied for CCCA. Participants in the study will be women of African descent who have been diagnosed with mild to moderate CCCA. Some participants will receive PRP injections, while others will receive a placebo (an inactive treatment) as part of a randomized, double-blind trial. All participants will continue using a topical steroid treatment, which is the standard of care for this condition. The study will also look at growth factors in participants' blood to understand how they may affect hair loss or regrowth. The goal is to gather information that could lead to better treatments for CCCA, a condition that currently has no standard treatment guidelines. Although there are risks such as minor discomfort from blood draws and scalp injections and/or a small risk of disease progression, the potential benefits include improved hair growth and a better understanding of CCCA treatments.

Timeline

Start

2025-09-30

Primary completion

2026-07-31

Completion

2026-07-31

Publications

• Background Kyei A, Bergfeld WF, Piliang M, Summers P. Medical and environmental risk factors for the development of central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia: a population study. Arch Dermatol. 2011 Aug;147(8):909-14. doi: 10.1001/archdermatol.2011.66. Epub 2011 Apr 11.
• Background Olsen EA, Callender V, McMichael A, Sperling L, Anstrom KJ, Shapiro J, Roberts J, Durden F, Whiting D, Bergfeld W. Central hair loss in African American women: incidence and potential risk factors. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2011 Feb;64(2):245-52. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2009.11.693. Epub 2010 Nov 13.
• Background Jackson T, Sow Y, Dinkins J, Aguh C, Omueti Ayoade K, Barbosa V, Burgess C, Callender V, Cotsarelis G, Grimes P, Harvey V, Kindred C, Lester J, Lo Sicco K, Mayo T, McMichael A, Oboite M, Ogunleye T, Olsen E, Osei-Tutu A, Piliang M, Senna M, Shapiro J, Tosti A, Frey C, Adotama P, Taylor SC. Treatment for central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia-Delphi consensus recommendations. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2024 Jun;90(6):1182-1189. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2023.12.073. Epub 2024 Feb 9.
• Background Everts P, Onishi K, Jayaram P, Lana JF, Mautner K. Platelet-Rich Plasma: New Performance Understandings and Therapeutic Considerations in 2020. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Oct 21;21(20):7794. doi: 10.3390/ijms21207794.

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