Syphilitic Alopecia Through the Dermoscope: A Series of Two Cases

    Neerja Saraswat, Shekhar Neema, Durga Madhab Tripathy, Eeshaan Ranjan, Sushil Kumar
    TLDR Dermoscopy is useful for accurately diagnosing syphilitic alopecia.
    This document discusses syphilitic alopecia (SA), a rare form of hair loss associated with secondary syphilis, and its diagnosis using dermoscopy. The study presents two cases where dermoscopy revealed specific features such as alopecic patches with empty hair follicles, vellus hairs, hypopigmented to depigmented hairs, and telangiectasias on an erythematous background. These findings help differentiate SA from other hair disorders like alopecia areata, tinea capitis, and trichotillomania, which show different dermoscopic features. The study emphasizes the importance of dermoscopy as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for accurately identifying SA, especially as syphilis becomes more prevalent, aiding in timely diagnosis and treatment.
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