A Dermoscopic Clue for the Diagnosis of Traction Alopecia: Peripilar Keratin Casts Case Report

    Hakan Turan, Esma Uslu, Elife Başkan, Cihangir Aliağaoğlu
    Image of study
    TLDR Peripilar keratin casts are a helpful sign for diagnosing traction alopecia.
    In 2015, a case report focused on a 34-year-old woman suffering from traction alopecia, a hair loss condition caused by excessive hair pulling due to certain hairstyles. The study emphasized the significance of peripilar keratin casts, cylindrical structures surrounding the hair shaft, as a valuable tool in diagnosing and monitoring this type of alopecia. These keratin casts, which form due to continuous hair traction, were frequently misdiagnosed as louse eggs or nits, or mistaken for squamous scalp diseases like psoriasis, pityriasis simplex, and seborrheic dermatitis.
    Discuss this study in the Community →

    Related Community Posts Join

    6 / 128 results

    Similar Research

    5 / 1000+ results
      Dermatoscopy of Hair Shaft Disorders

      research Dermatoscopy of Hair Shaft Disorders

      68 citations , August 2012 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”
      Dermatoscopy is a useful tool for diagnosing hair disorders and can help choose samples for more detailed analysis.
      Hair Pathology

      research Hair Pathology

      1 citations , July 2018 in “Elsevier eBooks”
      Triple horizontal scalp biopsies are 98% accurate in diagnosing hair loss, better than single biopsies.
      Office Diagnosis of Hair Shaft Defects

      research Office Diagnosis of Hair Shaft Defects

      33 citations , March 2006 in “Seminars in cutaneous medicine and surgery”
      The document explains how to identify different hair problems using a microscope.