Presentation, Diagnosis, and Management Options of Lipedematous Alopecia
January 2019
in “
JAAD case reports
”
TLDR Lipedematous alopecia involves a thickened scalp and hair loss, with limited effective treatments available.
Lipedematous alopecia (LA) and lipedematous scalp (LS) are rare conditions characterized by a thickened, boggy scalp, with LA also involving hair loss. A case of a 46-year-old African-American woman with LA showed scalp tenderness, pruritus, and nonscarring alopecia. Diagnostic imaging revealed increased subcutaneous tissue, and histology confirmed thickened collagen bundles and edema. Despite various treatments, including intralesional steroids, the patient showed no improvement. Successful treatments in other cases included oral mycophenolate mofetil and surgical debulking, but more clinical evidence is needed to establish effective management guidelines.
