TLDR Naked hair shafts are significantly associated with scarring hair loss and may help diagnose it, especially when multiple are found.
In a 2017 study involving 622 scalp biopsies, researchers found that naked hair shafts (NHS) were present in 20% (69/345) of cicatricial alopecia cases and only 0.72% (2/277) of non-cicatricial alopecia cases, indicating a significant association of NHS with cicatricial alopecias (P < 0.0001). The frequency of NHS correlated with the severity of inflammation and fibrosis. While single NHS could appear in both types of alopecia, multiple NHS were more specific to cicatricial alopecia, suggesting their utility as a diagnostic marker, particularly in challenging cases. However, the presence of a single NHS should not lead to an immediate diagnosis of cicatricial alopecia but should encourage a thorough search for additional diagnostic features.
Cited in this study
4 / 4 results
8 citations
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September 2017 in “The American Journal of Dermatopathology” Enlarged sweat gland ducts may indicate scarring hair loss.
19 citations
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January 2015 in “Skin appendage disorders” The report found a new type of hair loss in African-American women that affects more areas of the scalp than previously thought.
29 citations
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November 2014 in “American Journal of Dermatopathology” Horizontal sections of scalp biopsies are good for diagnosing Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia and help customize treatment.
40 citations
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May 2012 in “British Journal of Dermatology” Recognizing specific features of African-American hair can help diagnose hair loss conditions.
1 citations
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June 2022 in “PubMed” Alopecia causes hair loss and should be treated early, especially scarring types where hair cannot regrow.
2 citations
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March 2019 in “Journal of Dermatology” Trichoscopy helped diagnose and treat a woman with two different types of hair loss.
August 2018 in “Oxford University Press eBooks” The document's conclusion cannot be provided because the document cannot be parsed.
May 2018 in “Journal of cosmetology & trichology” Combining platelet-rich plasma therapy with prostaglandin-F eye drops can significantly regrow hair in alopecia universalis.
36 citations
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May 2011 in “Dermatologic therapy” No treatments fully cure or prevent alopecia areata; some help but have side effects or need more research.
109 citations
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May 2011 in “Dermatologic Therapy” Alopecia areata is a type of hair loss that can lead to complete baldness, often associated with other autoimmune conditions, and half of the cases may see hair return within a year.
