Break Dancing: A New Risk Factor for Scarring Hair Loss

    May 2011 in “ Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery ”
    Assaf Monselise, L Chan, Jerry Shapiro
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    TLDR Break dancing on the head may cause a type of scarring hair loss that needs early treatment to prevent permanent damage.
    The document reports a case of lichen planopilaris (LPP), an autoimmune inflammatory scalp condition that can cause scarring and irreversible hair loss, which was initially mistaken for androgenetic alopecia (AGA) in a 26-year-old man who had been break dancing on his head for many years. The patient presented with thinning hair and local pruritus, and a scalp biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of LPP. The authors suggest that chronic scalp trauma from break dancing may trigger LPP and emphasize the importance of a thorough scalp examination to distinguish LPP from other nonscarring hair loss conditions like AGA. Early recognition and treatment of LPP are crucial to prevent permanent hair loss. The case highlights the need for increased awareness among physicians of the potential for scarring hair loss in patients with a history of activities that involve chronic scalp trauma.
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