TLDR A young woman with a rare hair loss condition improved with steroid and biotin treatment.
The document reports a case of Alopecia areata incognita (AAI), a rare form of alopecia areata, in a 23-year-old Brazilian woman who experienced rapid hair loss over two weeks, which began after a stressful event. Unlike classical alopecia areata, AAI presents with diffuse hair loss without patchiness. Dermoscopic findings included yellow dots, and a scalp biopsy showed few mononuclear cells around hair follicles and an increased proportion of telogens and miniaturized hairs. The patient's blood tests were normal. She was treated with a topical steroid (clobetasol) and oral biotin, resulting in hair regrowth after 12 weeks, although with lower density in the fronto-parietal regions. No recurrence was observed during a 24-month follow-up. The case emphasizes the importance of including AAI in the differential diagnosis of acute and diffuse hair loss to ensure proper treatment. The document also discusses the clinical and histopathological similarities between AAI and other forms of alopecia areata, the predominance of AAI in young women, and the favorable prognosis with steroid treatment.
150 citations,
April 2008 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Scalp dermoscopy is good for diagnosing a type of hair loss and helps choose the best spots for biopsy.
42 citations,
January 2008 in “Dermatology” Dermoscopy effectively distinguishes between acute total hair loss and other types of female hair loss.
29 citations,
January 2003 in “Dermatology” The condition called 'acute diffuse and total alopecia of the female scalp' is actually a known condition named alopecia areata incognita.
59 citations,
January 2002 in “Dermatology” A new type of sudden, complete female hair loss was found, with most patients fully recovering within 6 months without needing steroid treatment.
60 citations,
January 1987 in “Dermatology” Alopecia areata may appear differently depending on the individual's type of hair loss and scalp condition.
April 2019 in “International journal of research in dermatology” A child with rough nails also had hair loss and allergies.
2 citations,
March 2018 in “The Journal of Dermatology” The "color-transition sign" helps tell apart alopecia areata incognita from telogen effluvium by looking at hair color changes.
37 citations,
October 2017 in “Clinical and Experimental Dermatology” Oral tofacitinib shows promise in treating atopic dermatitis and alopecia areata, but only slight improvement in vitiligo.
18 citations,
January 2010 in “Dermatology Research and Practice” DPCP treatment for alopecia areata can sometimes cause vitiligo.
19 citations,
December 2008 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” The authors suggest that a new type of hair loss exists, which is different from alopecia areata.
