Cross-Sectional Study of Hair Loss Patterns in 122 Korean Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients: A Frequent Finding of Non-Scarring Patch Alopecia

In a study of 122 Korean systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, 85.2% (104 patients) experienced hair loss, with non-scarring diffuse hair loss being the most common pattern post-diagnosis (65.1%, 56/86 patients). Non-scarring patch alopecia was also notable, with an overall prevalence of 14.8% (18/122 patients). This type of alopecia was observed both before and after SLE diagnosis, and it presented clinical challenges in differentiation from alopecia areata (AA) or pseudopelade. The study did not find a significant correlation between hair loss patterns and SLE disease activity. The findings highlight the importance of recognizing non-scarring patch alopecia in SLE patients and suggest the need for histopathological differentiation from AA and other alopecias.