"These are important data that need further study because CCCA may be a marker of metabolic dysfunction and, when present, can prompt clinicians to do further testing for diabetes mellitus," Dr. Kyei and her colleagues wrote.
Only 9% of the study subjects had thyroid abnormalities, and three-fourths of them had no or minimal hair loss.
A history of male-pattern baldness in the maternal grandfather was found to be a risk factor for CCCA, which suggests that genetics may play a role.
Hormonal dysregulation did not appear to be associated with development of CCCA. Neither were scarring disorders, since only 6% of the subjects reported a history of keloids, and the rate was no higher in women with CCCA than in those without CCCA.
Similarly, there were relatively high prevalences of seborrheic dermatitis (24%), eczema (13%), and contact dermatitis from chemical relaxers (9%), as would be expected in an African American population. However, these conditions were unrelated to CCCA.
This study was supported in part by the North American Hair Research Society and Procter & Gamble. No financial conflicts of interest were reported.