TLDR Skin conditions like seborrheic dermatitis can make it harder to correctly diagnose hair loss because they can cause the oil glands in the skin to shrink.
The case study discusses a 23-year-old female patient with non-scarring hair loss and seborrheic dermatitis, a common skin condition that mainly affects the scalp, causing scaly patches, red skin, and stubborn dandruff. The patient's histopathological findings showed mild androgenetic alopecia (a common form of hair loss in both men and women) and seborrheic dermatitis with significant sebaceous gland atrophy. Sebaceous gland atrophy, a condition where the sebaceous glands shrink and produce less sebum, is not specific to psoriasis and can occur in other inflammatory skin conditions of the scalp. The study concludes that in patients with seborrheic dermatitis, sebaceous gland atrophy can complicate the evaluation of alopecia biopsies and should be recognized as a potential pitfall. Therefore, seborrheic dermatitis should be included in the differential diagnosis of alopecia biopsies showing prominent sebaceous gland atrophy.
2 citations
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January 2021 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” A simple scalp scraping can effectively distinguish fibrosing alopecia from androgenetic alopecia with seborrheic dermatitis.
49 citations
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December 2018 in “JAAD case reports” Dupilumab may cause significant hair loss, which can reverse after stopping the drug.
24 citations
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January 2018 in “Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology” Androgenetic alopecia is mainly caused by genetic factors and increased androgen activity, leading to hair follicle miniaturization.
20 citations
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March 2017 in “Journal of cutaneous pathology” Shrinking of oil glands in the skin is a key sign of hair loss linked to TNF inhibitor drugs and may improve if the treatment is stopped.
10 citations
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January 2016 in “Dermatology” Psoriasis lesions have fewer and smaller oil glands, which might affect the condition's development.
41 citations
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July 2015 in “Clinical and Experimental Dermatology” Psoriasis can cause temporary or permanent hair loss.
14 citations
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July 2015 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology” Sebaceous glands in male pattern hair loss patients have more lobules and might cause early hair growth phase shifts.
19 citations
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March 2013 in “Journal of Cutaneous Pathology” The study found unique skin changes in a rare type of alopecia linked to a skin condition called linear morphea.
227 citations
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January 1998 in “Journal of Endocrinology” Cells from balding scalps have more androgen receptors than cells from non-balding scalps.
16 citations
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June 2008 in “Springer eBooks” Over 50% of women over 50 experience hair loss, with minoxidil being the only proven effective treatment.
18 citations
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June 2019 in “Clinical research in dermatology” Acne can't be cured but can be managed with treatments like benzoyl peroxide and diet changes; it's costly and can lead to scarring and mental health issues.
7 citations
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August 2021 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” Early treatment of fibrosing alopecia in a pattern distribution may improve outcomes.
42 citations
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December 1990 in “The Journal of Dermatologic Surgery and Oncology” The study found that horizontal sections of scalp biopsies are better for analyzing hair loss, showing fewer hairs and more fine hairs in balding areas.
January 2018 in “Elsevier eBooks” The document concludes that alopecia has various forms, each with specific treatments, but no definitive cure for certain types like CCCA has been proven.
