What's New in the Histologic Evaluation of Alopecia and Hair-Related Disorders?

October 2012 in “ Dermatologic Clinics ”

Dirk M. Elston

TLDR New biopsy techniques and tools improve alopecia diagnosis, and both too much and too little selenium can cause hair loss.

The document from 2012 discusses recent advances in the histologic evaluation of alopecia and hair-related disorders, emphasizing improved biopsy sectioning techniques such as the HoVert and Tyler techniques for better diagnostic yield. It notes the significance of "six-packs" in diagnosing neutrophilic forms of alopecia, explores the histologic features of alopecia in various conditions including mycosis fungoides, Sézary syndrome, and B-cell lymphoma, and provides insights into the diagnosis of trichotillomania and alopecia areata. The document also examines the use of reflectance confocal microscopy, ethnic variations in alopecia, the role of Langerhans cells in LPP and traction alopecia, and patterns of elastic tissue loss in scarring alopecia. It concludes with the association of both selenium excess and deficiency with alopecia through telogen effluvium.

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