What Did the Research Discover?
This study examined the effectiveness of doxycycline, an antibiotic, in treating central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA)—a type of hair loss that primarily affects Black women. There are currently no large studies proving that doxycycline is effective for CCCA, so researchers reviewed medical records from the Mount Sinai Health System to see how patients responded to treatment.
The study included 143 patients, divided into two groups: one group received doxycycline along with topical or injected steroids (115 patients), while the other group received only topical or injected steroids (28 patients). The majority of patients were women (over 95%), and most were African American.
Patients in the doxycycline group had been dealing with CCCA for about seven years before seeking treatment, compared to 4.9 years in the steroid-only group. The vertex and frontal scalp were the most commonly affected areas. People in the steroid-only group were more likely to be symptom-free, while those in the doxycycline group often experienced itching as a symptom.
For treatment, clobetasol 0.05% solution was the most commonly used steroid in both groups. Some patients also received intralesional triamcinolone (ILTAC) injections, with the steroid-only group having a slightly higher percentage of patients receiving these injections.
The key finding was that 70% of the doxycycline group experienced hair regrowth compared to only 39% in the steroid-only group, a statistically significant difference. The average time to hair regrowth was about 6.2 months in the doxycycline group and 5.6 months in the steroid-only group. When dermatologists analyzed patient photos, they found significant improvement in hair regrowth for those taking doxycycline, while those using only steroids saw little to no improvement.
How Can I Apply This Information?
If you are experiencing CCCA-related hair loss, it is important to talk to your doctor first about treatment options. While this study suggests that adding doxycycline to a steroid regimen may improve hair regrowth, a healthcare provider can help determine whether this approach is right for you.
This research found that patients who took low-dose doxycycline (40-80 mg daily) had better hair regrowth compared to those using only steroids, even after years of living with the condition. However, since this study was based on a review of medical records rather than a controlled clinical trial, more research is needed to confirm how effective doxycycline is for treating CCCA.
If you are concerned about CCCA, speak with a dermatologist to discuss whether doxycycline could be beneficial as part of your treatment plan.
Source:
Obi A, McKinley J, Oladunjoye E, Williams A, Li V, Wu J, Yang C, Darwin E, Gulati N, Haskin A, da Rosa JC. Doxycycline for central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia: A single center retrospective analysis. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2024 Aug 1;91(2):331-3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38458568/
