Use of Trichoscopy for the Diagnosis of Alopecia Areata Coexisting with Primary Scarring Alopecia in a Female Hair Loss Patient

In a case study from 2019, a 42-year-old woman with patchy hair loss was diagnosed with alopecia areata (AA) and primary scarring alopecia (SA) using trichoscopy. The trichoscopy revealed signs consistent with both conditions, such as tapering hairs and black dots for AA, and loss of follicular openings with white and milky-red areas for SA. Histological examination confirmed the diagnoses, showing peribulbar cell infiltration for AA and inflammatory infiltration with fibrosis for SA. Treatment with intralesional corticosteroids resulted in hair regrowth in the AA affected areas but was ineffective for the SA affected regions. This case highlights the utility of trichoscopy in distinguishing between different types of hair loss for appropriate treatment.