Traction Alopecia in Black Women : Is hair transplant an option?

Hair transplants for traction alopecia

Hair transplants can be a great option in women with afro-textured hair. But my advice is to proceed cautiously with expert guidance. 

Traction alopecia is a form of hair loss whereby hairs are lost from repeated strain or pulling on the hair. Many women with traction alopecia develop hair loss along the front of the scalp. 

Hair transplants can be a very good option for many women with traction alopecia but expert evaluation is needed. Here are a few tips that are helpful to patients and physicians considering transplanting traction alopecia

 

Top 4 Tips for Patients with Traction Alopecia Considering a Hair Transplant. 

1) Go slow. Don't rush the decision. Get several opinions. 

2) I would first recommend starting with expert evaluation to ensure that the patient has no evidence of central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (also called CCCA, a type of scarring hair loss condition) in the scalp. Our own studies have shown hair transplants for frontal traction are less effective if there is coexistent CCCA.

3) I often recommend waiting 6-12 months if the hair loss from traction alopecia has been recent. I perform steroid injections and advise use of minoxidil and see the patient back in 6-12 months. If traction alopecia has been around many years, I may not do this step.

4) Even though I do both FUE and FUT (strip) in my practice, I would not recommend FUE for black women with traction (unless small size case less than 400 grafts). I would advise strip (FUT) without any hesitation in traction alopecia for women with afrotextured hair to ensure we get the best grafts and best outcome.