Pink Scaling Papules and Plaques on the Palms, Soles, Chest, Abdomen, and Extremities

April 2015 in “ Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology ”

Geoffrey F.S. Lim, Kristin D. Hudacek, Saurabh Lodha, Christina Lee Chung, Carrie Ann Cusack

alopecia secondary syphilis benzathine penicillin G rapid plasma reagin test hair loss penicillin

TLDR The woman likely has secondary syphilis, treatable with penicillin.

A 41-year-old woman with a history of epilepsy presented with a 3-week history of a worsening pink, scaling, pruritic rash on her hands, feet, chest, abdomen, and extremities. She initially thought they were bug bites but had no recent outdoor exposure or similar symptoms in her household. She denied systemic symptoms and had not taken any medications recently. The most likely diagnosis was secondary syphilis, with benzathine penicillin G as the first-line treatment. Without treatment, the eruption could resolve in weeks. The rapid plasma reagin test was commonly used for screening, and alopecia was a sign of the secondary stage of the disease.

View this study on jaad.org →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Related Community Posts Join

6 / 1000+ results

community Most Recent Interesting Hairloss Studies: 10% Minox vs 5% Minox / Radio Rrequency Treatment for AA / Topical Ketoconazole / PRP+Minox vs Minox vs PRP / Alopecia as a systemic disease

in Treatment 92 upvotes 4 years ago

Treatments for hair loss, such as topical minoxidil, platelet-rich plasma therapy with or without minoxidil, ketoconazole, non-abative radio frequency, natural products, finasteride and cortexolone 17 alpha propionate. The post evaluates the efficacy and safety of these treatments in various studies.

community The Real Cause Of Androgenetic Alopecia

in Research/Science 668 upvotes 4 weeks ago

Androgenetic alopecia is caused by DHT affecting hair growth. Finasteride and minoxidil are used to manage hair loss by blocking DHT and promoting hair growth.

community Proposed new pathogenesis model for androgenetic alopecia (AGA)

in Research/Science 8 upvotes 1 year ago

The conversation discusses a new model for understanding androgenetic alopecia (AGA), linking it to dietary and lifestyle factors similar to PCOS, and highlighting the role of DHT, vascular damage, and inflammation. Treatments mentioned include Minoxidil, finasteride, and RU58841.

community The Effect of Intradermal Botox on Androgenetic Alopecia and Its Possible Mechanism (Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (2020)

in Treatment 12 upvotes 4 years ago

Intradermal botulinum toxin (BTX) injections effectively treat androgenetic alopecia (AGA) by inhibiting TGF-β1 secretion from hair follicles. Further research and long-term follow-up are needed to confirm these findings.

community Diffuse hair loss and scalp biopsies

in Research 692 upvotes 3 months ago

Scalp biopsies are crucial for diagnosing hair loss conditions like Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA) and retrograde hair loss, as treatments like finasteride and dutasteride may not be effective if other conditions are present. Combining PPAR-GAMMA agonists with retinoids could improve treatments for conditions like Lichen Planopilaris.

community New and Interesting HairLoss Studies/Papers/Reviews

in Treatment 44 upvotes 4 years ago

Hair loss treatments discussed include Dutasteride with Ketoconazole, tissue engineering strategies, and androgenetic alopecia therapies. Massage doubles follicular retention, improving treatment effectiveness.

Similar Research

5 / 1000+ results

research Syphilis: The Great Imitator

35 citations, January 2019 in “Clinics in Dermatology”

Syphilis has a wide range of symptoms that can look like other diseases, and if not treated, it can progress to a more serious stage, especially in HIV-positive patients.

research 31-Year-Old Woman With Chronic Daily Headache and Alopecia

1 citations, January 2013 in “Mayo Clinic Proceedings”

A woman's chronic headaches and hair loss were cured by treating her syphilis.

research Evaluation and Management of the Hair Loss Patient in the Primary Care Setting

2 citations, October 2015 in “Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice”

Doctors should diagnose hair loss by examining the patient and possibly doing tests, and then treat it based on the type, which may prevent permanent hair loss.

research Syphilis: Today

2 citations, October 2010 in “Reviews in Medical Microbiology”

Syphilis is becoming more common and remains a major health problem due to challenges in prevention and treatment.

research Moth-Eaten Essential Syphilitic Alopecia

3 citations, July 2014 in “QJM”

A 35-year-old man had patchy hair loss that was actually due to syphilis, not alopecia areata.