Histopathologic Diagnosis of Multifactorial Alopecia

The document summarizes a study that analyzed 1360 scalp biopsy specimens over 16 months, finding that 12.5% had multifactorial alopecia, with the most common combination being androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA), representing 27.1% of multifactorial cases. Additionally, 2.5% of specimens had hair loss with a non-alopecia diagnosis like seborrheic dermatitis. The study underscores the complexity of diagnosing multifactorial alopecia and the need for clinicopathologic correlation. It also details common alopecia combinations and their histologic features, highlighting the necessity for pathologists to be skilled in identifying these conditions. The technical assistance of Lisa Litzenberger and Lynda Douglas is acknowledged in the document.