Sunscreen and frontal fibrosing alopecia: A review.

Abstract

Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) is a cicatricial alopecia of unknown etiology. The incidence of FFA appears to be increasing with time, leading to suspicion of a possible environmental trigger. Observational studies have reported a positive correlation between facial sunscreen use and FFA. This finding raises the question of whether sunscreen use plays a role in disease development. In this article, we review the available literature on the association of sunscreen with FFA. There is insufficient evidence to establish a direct causal relationship between sunscreen and FFA. Further studies are required to better characterize the role of sunscreen and the environment in the pathogenesis of this unique disease.