Rectangular-Patterned Occipital Alopecia Areata: A Report of Three Cases
January 2012
in “
International Journal of Trichology
”
TLDR Sudden, unusual hair loss may indicate serious underlying health issues.
This report described three cases of rectangular-patterned occipital alopecia areata (AA) associated with different medical conditions: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, alveolar soft part sarcoma, and cavernous sinus arteriovenous fistula with embolization treatment. The first patient, a 47-year-old female, experienced AA progression despite treatment and later died from sepsis. The second patient, a 22-year-old female, showed improvement in AA after intralesional triamcinolone acetonide injections and adjuvant radiotherapy. The third patient, a 52-year-old male, developed AA following cerebral embolization, with subsequent improvement after similar injections. The study suggested that sudden and extensive atypical patterned hair loss should prompt imaging studies to evaluate for underlying malignancies or vascular deformities.