Diagnostic Value of Exclamation Mark Hairs

January 1993 in “ Dermatology ”

Chull‐Wan Ihm, Joseph Han

exclamation mark hairs trichotillomania alopecia areata light microscopy frayed distal ends blunt distal ends EM hairs AA

TLDR Exclamation mark hairs are not exclusive to alopecia areata.

The study compared exclamation mark (EM) hairs from 2 cases of trichotillomania and 9 cases of alopecia areata (AA) under light microscopy. It found that 77.8% of EM hairs from AA had frayed distal ends, while 82.2% of EM hairs from trichotillomania had blunt distal ends. The findings indicated that EM hairs, even those with frayed distal ends, were not exclusively indicative of AA, challenging the notion that they are pathognomonic for the condition.

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research Trichoscopy in Alopecia Areata

January 2021 in “International journal of dermatology, venereology and leprosy sciences”

Trichoscopy shows black dots, yellow dots, and empty follicles are common in Alopecia Areata, with broken and exclamation mark hair as typical patterns.

research The Value of Dermoscopy in Diagnosing Eyebrow Loss in Patients with Alopecia Areata and Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia

31 citations, October 2018 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology”

Trichoscopy effectively diagnoses eyebrow loss, distinguishing between alopecia areata and frontal fibrosing alopecia.

Review of Representative Trichoscopic Findings in Androgenetic and Alopecia Areata Patients Visiting Dermatology Outpatient Clinic at University Hospital

research Review of Representative Trichoscopic Findings in Androgenetic and Alopecia Areata Patients Visiting Dermatology Outpatient Clinic at University Hospital

November 2016 in “대한피부과학회지”

The document's conclusion cannot be summarized as it is not provided in a language I can understand.