Facial Heat Characteristics in Infrared Thermography Diagnosis of Alopecia Patients

In a study conducted 17 years ago involving 183 patients with alopecia, it was found that the pattern of facial heat distribution, measured by an Infrared Thermography Scanner, varied depending on the type of alopecia and gender. Facial heat distribution could be classified into T-type and diffused patterns. Significant differences were observed in the pattern of facial heat distribution among different types of alopecia (p=0.002), with T-type distribution appearing in Androgenic Alopecia, Alopecia Areata, and Telogen Effluvium (71.3%, 85.7%, 70.4%), and diffused pattern being dominant in Seborrheic Alopecia (55.6%). There was also a significant difference in the pattern of facial heat distribution between men and women (p<0.001), with T-type being dominant in women (88.0% vs. 12.0%) and equally appearing in men (50.6%: 49.4%). These differences could provide useful information for the diagnosis and clinical therapy for alopecia.