A free, private journal for anyone experiencing scalp changes, hair loss, or symptoms they haven't been able to name yet. No diagnosis required. No pressure. Just a place to start writing it down.
Why write it down?
When symptoms go untracked, patterns go unnoticed. Many patients wait years before getting an accurate diagnosis — partly because there's no record of what they experienced along the way.
This journal is a first step. Write down what you feel. Note what changed. Keep your own record.
When the time comes, you'll have something to show your doctor — and you'll be the first to know about updates and new resources from Beyond the Hairline.
Scarring alopecia — including CCCA — affects millions of women, disproportionately Black women, and it often goes years without diagnosis. Not because it isn't real, but because patients don't have the documentation to make a case at the doctor's office.
The Root Journal gives you a simple way to track what you're experiencing — your symptoms, their severity, and your notes — so that when you do see a provider, you walk in with something to show.
This is not a medical tool. It does not diagnose, treat, or advise. Please see a board-certified dermatologist specializing in skin of color for any scalp concerns.
Rate each symptom from 0 (not present) to 5 (severe). Move the slider or tap a number. Your entries are saved locally on this device.