Trichoscopic Differentiation in Alopecia: Retrospective Case Series Comparing Lichen Planopilaris, Discoid Lupus Erythematosus, and Alopecia Areata
October 2025
in “
JMIR Dermatology
”
TLDR Exclamation-mark hairs and yellow dots indicate alopecia areata, while follicular ostia loss and white scarring indicate lichen planopilaris and discoid lupus erythematosus.
This retrospective case series analyzed trichoscopic markers in 28 patients with alopecia, including 7 with lichen planopilaris, 7 with discoid lupus erythematosus, and 14 with alopecia areata. The study found that exclamation-mark hairs and yellow dots were indicative of alopecia areata, while follicular ostia loss and white scarring were specific to lichen planopilaris and discoid lupus erythematosus. These findings offer a straightforward method for distinguishing between nonscarring and scarring alopecias in clinical practice.
