Commonly Associated Disorders With Complete Scalp Alopecia in Early Childhood: A Review
March 2023
in “
International journal of trichology
”
Alopecia totalis Alopecia universalis atrichia with papular lesions Alopecia universalis congenita Hereditary Vitamin D-Resistant Rickets type IIA pure hair and nail ectodermal dysplasia alopecia with mental retardation syndrome Alopecia areata genetic testing scalp biopsy full body skin examination AT AU APLs AUC HVDRRs type IIA PHNED APMR AA
TLDR Six genetic conditions are often linked to complete scalp hair loss in children.
The review discusses six genetic conditions associated with total scalp alopecia in children, namely Alopecia totalis/Alopecia universalis (AT/AU), atrichia with papular lesions (APLs), Alopecia universalis congenita (AUC), Hereditary Vitamin D-Resistant Rickets (HVDRRs) type IIA, pure hair and nail ectodermal dysplasia (PHNED), and alopecia with mental retardation syndrome (APMR). AT/AU is the most commonly reported condition, with 103 case reports and clinical trials. The etiology of Alopecia areata (AA), including AT and AU, involves both genetic and epigenetic components. When a child presents with total scalp alopecia, these genetic conditions should be considered, and diagnosis can be aided by full body skin examination, genetic testing, and scalp biopsy. However, the prognosis for hair regrowth is generally poor due to the lack of effective treatment options.
