Trichoscopy of Androgenetic Alopecia: A Systematic Review

March 2024 in “ Journal of clinical medicine ”

Agata Kuczara, Anna Waśkiel‐Burnat, Adriana Rakowska, Małgorzata Olszewska, Lidia Rudnicka

androgenetic alopecia hair diameter variability vellus hairs peripilar sign perifollicular inflammation yellow dots trichoscopy AGA

TLDR Trichoscopy shows hair diameter variability, vellus hairs, and the peripilar sign are key indicators for diagnosing Androgenetic Alopecia.

The systematic review "Trichoscopy of Androgenetic Alopecia" analyzed 34 articles and included 2860 patients with androgenetic alopecia (AGA). The study found that the most common trichoscopic features in AGA patients were hair diameter variability (94.07%), vellus hairs (66.45%), and the peripilar sign (43.27%). Hair diameter variability was observed in all stages of male AGA and in women, it correlated with the severity of the disease. The peripilar sign, a brown halo indicating perifollicular inflammation, had the highest specificity and a significant positive predictive value. The presence of at least four yellow dots in the frontal area of the scalp on trichoscopic examination is a major criterion to identify female AGA. The study concluded that hair diameter variability, vellus hairs, and the peripilar sign are valuable indicators for the diagnosis of AGA.

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