Syphilitic Alopecia: Uncommon Trichoscopic Findings

July 2017 in “ Dermatology practical & conceptual ”

Linda Tognetti, Élisa Cinotti, Jean‐Luc Perrot, Marco Campoli, Pietro Rubegni

syphilitic alopecia secondary syphilis trichoscopic findings tapered bended hairs erythematous background diffuse scaling perifollicular hyperkeratosis dermoscopy benzathine penicillin G SA penicillin

Studysummary This study is the first to describe a mixed pattern of essential syphilitic alopecia using trichoscopy, identifying features like tapered bended hairs and perifollicular hyperkeratosis in a patient without secondary syphilis symptoms. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

The document from July 31, 2017, describes a case study of a 32-year-old man with syphilitic alopecia (SA), a rare manifestation of secondary syphilis. The study reported new trichoscopic findings for SA, including tapered bended hairs, an erythematous background, diffuse scaling, and perifollicular hyperkeratosis, which were not previously documented in the literature. SA can be difficult to diagnose, particularly when it is the sole symptom of syphilis, and can resemble other hair loss conditions. The use of dermoscopy was emphasized as a valuable diagnostic tool. The patient was successfully treated with benzathine penicillin G and showed hair regrowth after two months, underscoring the need to consider secondary syphilis in cases of unexplained hair loss.

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Research cited in this study

4 / 4 results

research Hair and Scalp Manifestations in Secondary Syphilis: Epidemiology, Clinical Features and Trichoscopy

45 citations , January 2015 in “Dermatology”

In this study, 41.6% of patients with secondary syphilis exhibited syphilitic alopecia, with the 'moth-eaten' pattern most commonly observed through trichoscopy.

research Syphilitic Alopecia: A Report of 5 Cases and a Review of the Literature

13 citations , June 2013 in “Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas”

This review details five cases of syphilitic alopecia, an uncommon symptom in syphilis affecting mainly men, emphasizing that dermatologists should be vigilant as it can appear as the sole symptom.

research Hair and Scalp Dermatoscopy

245 citations , March 2012 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

This review discusses the dermoscopic features of common hair and scalp disorders and reports no new clinical results, aiming to assist dermatologists in diagnosing conditions like tinea capitis and alopecia areata.

research Clinical Significance of Dermoscopy in Alopecia Areata: Analysis of 300 Cases

196 citations , June 2008 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

This study found that dermoscopic indicators like black dots and tapering hairs are valuable markers for diagnosing and assessing the severity and activity of alopecia areata in Asian patients.