TLDR The document suggests that severe hair loss in SLE patients may be an early sign of scalp DLE, treatable with immunosuppressive therapy.
The document is a response to a report on four female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who had severe diffuse non-scarring hair loss, suggesting that this hair loss could be an early stage of scalp discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), a known diagnostic criterion of SLE. The authors argue that the evidence from clinical, histopathological, and dermoscopic findings, as well as the positive response to treatment, supports a DLE diagnosis. They also note that DLE can appear as non-scarring and sometimes non-inflammatory alopecia, which can be confused with alopecia areata, and propose that immunosuppressive therapy for SLE might have aided hair regrowth and prevented permanent hair loss in these cases.
170 citations,
December 2009 in “Histopathology” The conclusion is that accurate diagnosis of different types of hair loss requires good teamwork between skin doctors and lab experts.
March 2004 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Women with lupus experienced non-scarring hair loss with fewer hair follicles, and the test for lupus in hair was not helpful.
5 citations,
March 2004 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and hair loss had non-scarring alopecia with fewer hair follicles, and direct immunofluorescence did not help identify lupus.
March 2004 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and hair loss had fewer hair follicles and non-scarring alopecia; direct immunofluorescence was not helpful in diagnosing lupus in these cases.
March 2004 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Patients with SLE experienced non-scarring hair loss with fewer hair follicles, and DIF did not help identify lupus.
March 2023 in “Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice” The main difference in hair loss for lupus patients is smaller and fewer sebaceous glands.
3 citations,
March 2021 in “Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology” Early treatment of Lupus Erythematosus Alopecia can prevent permanent hair loss, and various medications are effective.
