Hair Loss Among a Group of Egyptian Children

The study, conducted over a year from April 2013 to April 2014 at the Dermatology Outpatient Clinic of Misr University for Science and Technology Hospital, included 255 Egyptian children aged 2 to 15 years with hair loss and scalp disorders. Tinea capitis was the most prevalent cause of hair loss, affecting 30.2% of the children, followed by traction alopecia (16.9%), pediculosis (15.3%), and alopecia areata (13.3%). Dermoscopy proved to be a valuable diagnostic tool, revealing specific patterns for various conditions, such as comma hair in tinea capitis and yellow dots in alopecia areata. The study also noted the presence of less common conditions like ectodermal dysplasia and folliculitis decalvans, emphasizing the importance of dermoscopy in the clinical evaluation and management of pediatric scalp and hair disorders.