TLDR A woman with unexplained hair loss was found to have harmless skin tumors and a scarring hair loss condition, but the tumors didn't cause the hair loss.
In 2015, a 56-year-old female with unexplained hair loss was diagnosed with lichen planopilaris, a type of scarring alopecia, following multiple scalp biopsies. These biopsies also incidentally discovered syringomas, benign skin tumors that are uncommon on the scalp and usually only a cosmetic concern. Despite their presence, the syringomas were not the cause of the patient's hair loss. This case underscored the necessity of scalp biopsies in patients with unexplained hair loss to rule out rare neoplastic lesions like syringomas and identify associated conditions.
24 citations,
September 1985 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” The report suggests a possible link between hair loss and hidden scalp tumors but states more evidence is needed to confirm this.
4 citations,
July 2015 in “Case Reports in Dermatology” A woman with unexplained hair loss was found to have harmless skin tumors and a scarring hair loss condition, but the tumors didn't cause the hair loss.
43 citations,
August 2013 in “Pediatric Dermatology” Trichoscopy is good for diagnosing and monitoring hair and scalp problems in children but needs more research for certain conditions.
245 citations,
March 2012 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Dermatoscopy is useful for identifying different hair and scalp conditions and can reduce the need for biopsies.
Trichotillometry can measure hair plucking force, aiding alopecia treatment evaluation.
21 citations,
May 1996 in “Current problems in dermatology” Detailed patient history and physical exams are crucial for diagnosing hair loss.
5 citations,
October 1988 in “Clinics in Dermatology” Minoxidil promotes hair growth but exact mechanism is unknown.
