Bitemporal Scalp Hair Loss: Differential Diagnosis of Nonscarring and Scarring Conditions

February 2021 in “ The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology ”

Brianna De Souza, Andrea Tovar-Garza, Laura N Uwakwe, Amy J. McMichael

TLDR Understanding the cause of bitemporal hair loss is key to deciding the right treatment.

The document "Bitemporal Scalp Hair Loss: Differential Diagnosis of Nonscarring and Scarring Conditions" discusses the causes and diagnosis of bitemporal hair loss, a condition that can be caused by both scarring and non-scarring conditions. The paper emphasizes the importance of a thorough clinical examination, history taking, dermoscopy, and biopsy in diagnosing the cause of bitemporal hair loss. It reviews various conditions that can lead to this type of hair loss, including traction alopecia, telogen effluvium, female pattern hair loss, frontal fibrosing alopecia, central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, and seborrheic dermatitis. The review is based on a literature search of 94 articles published from 1957 to February 2019. The document also discusses the clinical, dermatoscopic, and histopathological characteristics of different types of alopecia that may present with hair loss in the bilateral temporal scalp. It concludes that understanding the underlying cause of bitemporal hair loss is crucial for determining the appropriate treatment strategy.

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