Hair follicle fibrosis

Hair follicle fibrosis refers to the pathological accumulation of extracellular matrix and connective tissue (mainly collagen) around or within hair follicles, usually leading to permanent damage of the follicle architecture and irreversible hair loss. Fibrosis can result from chronic inflammation, autoimmune reactions, or persistent injury, and is characterized by the activation of fibroblasts and upregulation of fibrogenic pathways such as transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β). This process is prominent in primary cicatricial (scarring) alopecias and other fibrosing skin diseases. While various signaling pathways (TGF-β/SMAD, Wnt, BMP, etc.) are implicated in the regulation of hair follicle cells and their response to injury and fibrosis[2][3], "hair follicle fibrosis" by itself is not a molecular target but a disease mechanism. Drugs that reduce hair follicle fibrosis typically act by modulating inflammatory and fibrogenic signaling rather than interacting with a single receptor or protein.

Other names

Follicular fibrosisPerifollicular fibrosis

Inhibition of inflammatory cytokines, inhibition of fibroblast activation, reduction of extracellular matrix deposition; for molecular targets, typical mechanisms include TGF-β inhibition, immune modulation