Alopecia Circumscripta Due to Vitamin A Deficiency
February 1945
in “
Archives of Dermatology and Syphilology
”
TLDR Alopecia in the woman was likely caused by vitamin A deficiency, not a fungal infection.
A 40-year-old woman from an Arab village was initially suspected to have tinea capitis but was found to have alopecia circumscripta due to vitamin A deficiency. The affected area on her scalp was 3 by 4 cm with incomplete hair loss and covered with coarse scales. There was no inflammation, and the hairs retained their pigmentation. Microscopic examination did not reveal fungal elements, and further tests confirmed the absence of mycelium or spores, suggesting a non-fungal cause for the alopecia.
