Abstract Background: Alopecia has been shown to have a significant impact on quality of life (QoL), particularly in women. However, there are no data for African populations. This study was conducted to pilot an original questionnaire and a model-based methodology to measure QoL and its determinants in a sample of South African Black women of […]
Abstract Background: Precise knowledge of the prevalence and spectrum of skin diseases in a population allows for effective planning for provision of dermatology services and distribution of resources. There are no published data on the epidemiology of skin disorders in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Objective: We investigated the prevalence of skin diseases in black African patients attending […]
ABSTRACT The literature on performance and image-enhancing drug (PIED) use and their harms is dominated by studies of largely North American, European and Australian males. We present the first case of a non-athlete PIED user from Africa. We describe a 27-yearold South African female of African ancestry who presented with a 9-month history of acne involving […]
Abstract: From light-skinned deities depicted in ancient religious tableaux, pearl-swallowing practices in China, turmeric ceremonies in India to clay application in Africa, history has been coloured by our questionable aversion to the darker shades. Complexion has assumed psychological, economic and political currency with continued growth in the desire for skin lighteners sweeping the boundaries of […]
The pathogenesis of acne vulgaris is multifactorial and is almost similar in both light and dark skin phototypes. Treatment modalities are, therefore, similar in all ethnic groups and designed to address multiple aspects of disease pathogenesis simultaneously. Specific aetiological agents, clinical characteristics and sequelae of the disease differ in darker skin phototypes, and as such, this […]
Case review from 2006-2012 We reviewed single-centre case notes and clinical pictures of patients presenting with a histopathologically confirmed diagnosis of FFA from 2006 to 2012 inclusive. A total of 44 patients were seen:20 had FFA only, and 24 had associated lichen planus pigmentosus5. This study will focus on the 20 patients with FFA only, […]
Case report A 35-year-old African man developed an asymptomaticprogressive recession of the frontal hairline over 1 year. Clinical examination revealed frontotemporal recession with loss of follicular orifices and partial loss of both eyebrows (Fig. 1a,b). Routine examination of the remaining scalp was normal. Further close inspection of the hair margin with a dermatoscope showed perifollicular […]
MADAM, Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) is a primary lymphocytic cicatricial alopecia with a distinctive pattern involving the hairline, eyebrows and other hair-bearing areas, first described by Kossard as a progressive recession of the frontal hairline in postmenopausal white women. Miteva et al. have reported for the first time the occurrence of FFA in African Americans. […]
MADAM, Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) is a cicatricial alopecia that was first described by Kossard in 1994.1 It primarily affects caucasian postmenopausal women with progressive recession of the frontotemporal hairline. In recent years the disease has been increasingly reported in Europe,2–4 the U.S.A.5 and Japan.6 Most authors consider FFA a variant of lichen planopilaris because […]
Abstract Background: Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) is the commonest type of primary scarring alopecia in women of African descent. Little is currently known about the disease genetics. Objective: We sought to investigate patterns of inheritance in CCCA and ascertain the contribution of nongenetic factors such as hair-grooming habits to the pathogenesis of the disease. […]