Congenital Combined Melanocytic Nevus of the Scalp With Associated Alopecia Areata

August 2012 in “ The American Journal of Dermatopathology ”

Yee‐Kiat Heng, See Ket Ng, Kong-Bing Tan, Joyce Siong‐See Lee

alopecia areata steroid injections congenital combined melanocytic nevus biopsy neurocristic hamartoma AA steroids

Studysummary This report describes a 20-year-old Chinese man with a rare combination of congenital compound and blue melanocytic nevus associated with alopecia areata. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

In 2013, a case study described a 20-year-old Chinese man with Marfan syndrome who experienced hair loss over parts of his scalp, where a blue-gray plaque was also observed. He developed alopecia areata (AA) in two patches, which improved with steroid injections. A biopsy confirmed a congenital combined melanocytic nevus without signs of AA, but the nevus was too large to remove. This case was unusual because the alopecia associated with the nevus appeared when the patient was 19, rather than at birth. The relationship between the melanocytic lesion and AA was investigated but remained inconclusive. The study emphasized the need to differentiate between combined melanocytic nevus and neurocristic hamartoma due to their similar appearance but different outcomes.

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research Coexistence of Giant Blue Nevus of the Scalp with Hair Loss and Alopecia Areata

3 citations , November 2010 in “The Journal of Dermatology”

This case report details a rare instance of a giant cellular blue nevus on the scalp, highlighting its potential to damage underlying bone and hair follicles, alongside a separate alopecia areata lesion successfully treated with topical corticosteroid.

research Melanocytes: A Possible Autoimmune Target in Alopecia Areata

35 citations , August 2009 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

This study found a decreased number of follicular melanocytes in patients with alopecia areata, though it remains unclear if this decrease is due to autoimmune attack or rapid hair cycling.