Dermoscopy Features of Some Scalp Disorders

May 2014 in “ Journal of the Egyptian Women's Dermatologic Society (Print) ”

Noha Nabil Doghaim, Azza M. El-Tukhey, Rania Ahmed El-Tatawy, Nahla R Ghaly, Doha A. Mohammed

TLDR Dermoscopy helps diagnose different scalp conditions by showing unique signs for each disorder.

In a 2014 study involving 127 patients with various hair disorders, dermoscopy was found to be a useful diagnostic tool, revealing distinct features for different conditions. Alopecia areata (AA) was characterized by clustered vellus hairs, black dots, tapered hairs, coudability hairs, and yellow dots; androgenetic alopecia (AGA) by hair diameter diversity greater than 20% and peripilar sign; scalp psoriasis by interfollicular red dots; discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) by follicular red dots, arborizing blood vessels, white and brown dyschromia, reduction of follicular ostia, and blue dots; and tinea capitis by comma-like hair. The study highlighted the potential of dermoscopy in differentiating between scalp disorders like AA, AGA, scalp psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, and DLE, and in assessing disease activity, especially for DLE and AA.

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