Focal Photodamage on the Occipital Scalp

    April 2016 in “ JAMA Dermatology ”
    Howa Yeung, Kevin Man-Hin Luk, Shuo Chen
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    TLDR Baseball caps don't fully protect bald spots on the back of the head from sun damage; wear wide-brimmed hats or use sunscreen.
    The document reports a case of a 65-year-old man who developed focal chronic photodamage and actinic keratoses on his alopecic occipital scalp despite regularly wearing a baseball cap for sun protection. The patient had Fitzpatrick phototype 2 skin and a history of extensive sun exposure and sunburns. The case highlights the inadequacy of baseball caps, particularly snapback and trucker styles, in protecting the occipital scalp from UV exposure. The study emphasizes the importance of wearing wide-brimmed hats or using sunscreen with SPF 30+ for individuals with alopecia to protect against skin cancer, as hair naturally provides photoprotection. The general public, especially men at risk for androgenetic alopecia, should be informed about the limitations of baseball caps and advised to take additional sun protection measures.
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