Raechele Cochran Gathers, MD Hair breakage is not uncommon. But hair breakage on the top of your head can be an early warning sign for a type of permanent hair loss called central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia.
Hair Breakage Causes
Many things can cause hair breakage, including: dryness of the hair, using too much heat, damaging hair products, certain hair styles and traction, vitamin deficiencies, infections and illnesses.
There is another incredibly important cause of hair breakage that you need to know about though. CCCA. CCCA is a scalp disease that can cause permanent hair loss, and it sometimes starts with hair breakage at the crown.
CCCA and Hair Breakage
CCCA (Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia) is hair loss that starts at the crown of your head. It can cause a circular pattern of hair loss, and it is the most common cause of permanent hair loss in African American women. In CCCA, your hair follicles can be permanently damaged by inflammation.
In CCCA, the hair doesn’t just fall out of the follicle, like in some types of alopecia. Instead, the follicle is destroyed and replaced by scar tissue. Besides causing hair loss, there is also some evidence that CCCA can be associated with uterine fibroids.
Breakage of the hair at the crown of your head and trouble growing the hair at the crown of your head, may be an early warning sign of CCCA. In a study published by dermatologist Dr. Valerie D. Callender and colleagues, over 80% of women with no or minimal hair thinning or baldness, but with hair breakage at the crown, showed some evidence of early or typical CCCA when biopsy tests were performed.
That means that even though you couldn’t see the disease with the naked eye, there were already changes occurring in the scalp showing that the disease was forming.
Other Signs of CCCA Hair Loss
- Itch at the top of the head
- Tenderness at the top of the head
- Burning sensation on top of the head
- Inflammation or redness on the scalp
- Hair loss at the top of the head
The hair loss of CCCA can be permanent, leading to severe hair loss. However, when caught in the early stages, several treatments can be done that can help to fight the scalp inflammation of CCCA. This can help to save the hair! There are many treatments for CCCA, and you can read more about the disease and its treatment here.
Conclusions
If you’re having breakage of your hair, or notice that your hair is not growing the way that it should, see a dermatologist. Don’t assume that your hair is breaking due to something that you’re doing. Breakage and trouble growing your hair can indicate an underlying serious condition like CCCA.
