Characterizing Hair Loss in Female Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

    Radha Mikkilineni, Paradi Mirmirani, Anita C. Gilliam
    Image of study
    TLDR Women with lupus experienced non-scarring hair loss with fewer hair follicles, and the test for lupus in hair was not helpful.
    The study aimed to characterize the histologic features of diffuse hair loss in female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Over a 3-month period, 8 patients from a single rheumatology practice, aged between 46 and 75, participated by completing a questionnaire, providing scalp photographs, and undergoing scalp biopsies. All patients had active SLE and an average disease duration of 13 years. They exhibited diffuse non-scarring hair loss without scalp inflammation, and three showed a positive hair pull test for telogen hair. Histological examination revealed no inflammation, scarring, follicular plugging, or other abnormalities, but a decrease in total hair follicles with a median count of 14 hairs. Direct immunofluorescence (DIF) identified lupus in four patients. The study concluded that patients with SLE and diffuse hair loss had non-scarring alopecia with a reduced number of total hair follicles, and DIF was not useful for identifying lupus in these cases. The underlying cause of follicular drop out in these patients remains unknown.
    Discuss this study in the Community →

    Research cited in this study

    1 / 1 results

    Related Community Posts Join

    6 / 1000+ results

      community Hair Remedies that Don't Work for Anybody Seeking Hair Regrowth

      in Treatment  7 upvotes 4 years ago
      Hair loss treatments discussed include minoxidil, finasteride, and RU58841. Salon products and supplements generally don't work for hair regrowth unless there's a severe nutritional deficiency, while hormonal treatments like estrogen and spironolactone can be effective.
      If You Have DUPA, PLEASE READ THIS: Everyone Should Be Scalp Biopsied

      community If You Have DUPA, PLEASE READ THIS: Everyone Should Be Scalp Biopsied

      in Research  830 upvotes 7 months ago
      Scalp biopsies are crucial for diagnosing hair loss conditions like Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA) and retrograde hair loss, as treatments like finasteride and dutasteride may not be effective if other conditions are present. Combining PPAR-GAMMA agonists with retinoids could improve treatments for conditions like Lichen Planopilaris.

      community Minoxidil Finasteride heart problems

      in Update  97 upvotes 10 months ago
      A user experienced heart problems after taking 1mg finasteride and 2.5mg oral minoxidil and is considering quitting minoxidil. Others discussed their experiences with heart issues and minoxidil, with some suggesting topical minoxidil as a safer alternative.

    Related Research

    7 / 7 results