A Puzzling Presentation of Alopecia Areata: Sudden-Onset Whitening of Hair and Its Spontaneous Resolution
July 2023
in “
International Journal of Trichology
”
TLDR The man's hair turned white suddenly but returned to normal on its own in 6 months.
A 39-year-old male experienced sudden-onset whitening of hair on his scalp, beard, and eyebrows, along with hair loss, which was diagnosed as alopecia areata incognita. Despite the initial plan for systemic steroid treatment, only a topical steroid was used due to COVID-19 concerns. Remarkably, after 6 months, there was complete regrowth of pigmented hair. This case highlights a rare presentation of alopecia areata, where selective loss of pigmented hairs occurred, supporting the theory that melanogenesis-associated antigens may trigger an immune response. The study emphasizes the complexity of alopecia areata and its potential spontaneous resolution.