Alopecia areata incognita
January 2011
in “Clinics”
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.
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