Rare Concurrence of Alopecia Areata in the Setting of the Lipedematous Scalp

September 2022 in “ The American journal of dermatopathology/American journal of dermatopathology ”

Danchen Hu, Shuxia Yang

alopecia areata lipedematous scalp lipedematous alopecia subcutaneous fat layer hair bulb inflammation topical steroids minoxidil oral compound glycyrrhizin vitamin D Rogaine

TLDR A patient with a thick scalp and hair loss was correctly diagnosed with alopecia areata and a thick scalp fat layer, not lipedematous alopecia, and regrew hair after treatment.

The document discusses a case of alopecia areata occurring alongside lipedematous scalp (LS), a condition characterized by a thickened scalp due to an increased subcutaneous fat layer. This combination can be misdiagnosed as lipedematous alopecia (LA), which involves hair loss and shortened hairs. However, histopathologic examination revealed a thickened subcutaneous fat layer and hair bulb inflammation, distinguishing it from LA. The patient's hair regrowth was noticeable after treatment with topical steroids, minoxidil, oral compound glycyrrhizin, and vitamin D. The report emphasizes that LS and alopecia areata can coexist, and accurate diagnosis requires histopathologic examination.

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Research cited in this study

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