A Puzzling Presentation of Alopecia Areata: Sudden-Onset Whitening of Hair and Its Spontaneous Resolution

    Gizem Pehlivan, Algün Polat Ekinci, Şule Öztürk Sarı
    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.
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