Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) is a type of scarring alopecia commonly seen in women of African American descent. The etiology is not completely understood, but CCCA likely results from a combination of hair-grooming practices, a pro-inflammatory state within the hair follicles, and genetic factors. The management of CCCA remains a challenge as there are no published treatment guidelines. Current therapies aim to decrease inflammation in order to prevent further hair loss.~Apremilast, an oral phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor, has been shown to be effective in the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthropathy. In vitro studies have demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties via inhibition of inflammatory mediators. Therefore, apremilast offers a possible therapeutic option for CCCA. This will be a single-center, open-label clinical study to determine the efficacy of apremilast in the treatment of mild to moderate central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia.
This is a single-center, open-label clinical study to study the efficacy of apremilast in the treatment of mild to moderate central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia. The investigators hypothesize that the anti-inflammatory properties of apremilast may play a role in the decreasing scalp inflammation in patients with CCCA and may prevent further hair loss and potentially induce hair regrowth in patients with mild to moderate disease.