Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) is a primary lymphocytic scarring alopecia with a characteristic clinical pattern of progressive frontotemporal hairline recession and eyebrow loss that mainly affects postmenopausal women.1 Since its first description in 1994, some clinical signs have been added, such as involvement of the beard area or facial papules. In 2015, Vañó et al2 added a new sign: depression of the frontal veins. This clinical sign reflects perivenular fibrosis, with secondary venular dilatation.

Hair loss is devastating to the patient, but the diagnosis and treatment of alopecia are also difficult for primary care providers and even dermatologists. Given recent advances in the field, there has never been a more pressing time to reevaluate and improve upon the significant clinical skills needed to accurately diagnose and treat our patients with hair loss. This CME activity on alopecia is designed to (1) educate dermatologists in a simple, succinct fashion on the identification of, and the distinction between, the diverse types of hair loss and (2) discuss how to manage them.