Dermoscopy in Female Androgenic Alopecia: Method Standardization and Diagnostic Criteria
January 2009
in “
International Journal of Trichology
”
female androgenic alopecia FAGA trichoscopy chronic telogen effluvium CTE yellow dots thin hairs perifollicular hyperpigmentation frontal area occipital area hair thickness single-hair pilosebaceous units vellus hairs perifollicular discoloration female pattern hair loss hair loss diagnosis hair thinning scalp examination hair follicles scalp pigmentation
TLDR Trichoscopy can diagnose female hair loss with high accuracy by looking for specific patterns in hair and scalp appearance.
In the 2009 study, trichoscopy criteria were established for diagnosing female androgenic alopecia (FAGA) by analyzing images from 131 females, including 59 with FAGA, 33 with chronic telogen effluvium (CTE), and 39 healthy controls. The study concluded that FAGA could be diagnosed with 98% specificity using trichoscopy by identifying a greater number of yellow dots, a higher percentage of thin hairs, and increased perifollicular hyperpigmentation in the frontal area compared to the occipital area or to healthy controls and CTE patients. Major diagnostic criteria included more than four yellow dots in the frontal area, lower average hair thickness in the frontal area compared to the occiput, and more than 10% of thin hairs in the frontal area. Minor criteria were an increased ratio of single-hair pilosebaceous units, presence of vellus hairs, and perifollicular discoloration in the frontal area. Two major criteria or one major and two minor criteria were required for a FAGA diagnosis.
