TLDR A man's scalp condition was misidentified as hair loss dots but was actually a common follicular disorder.
The document describes a case where a 56-year-old man with a history of male pattern alopecia and no personal or familial history of alopecia areata (AA) presented with eyebrow loss. Upon examination, he had hair thinning on the scalp and multiple follicular dark structures on the vertex that resembled AA black dots. Dermoscopy revealed these structures to be tufts of vellus hairs, characteristic of trichostasis spinulosa (TS), a common but underdiagnosed follicular disorder. The patient also had concurrent androgenetic alopecia. Dermoscopy of the eyebrows confirmed AA due to the presence of yellow dots and true comedo-like cadaver hairs. The patient's scalp biopsy confirmed androgenetic alopecia and TS. He received intralesional triamcinolone injections for AA of the eyebrows with partial response. The document highlights the usefulness of dermoscopy in distinguishing between AA and TS, emphasizing its role in improving diagnostic accuracy and guiding appropriate treatment.
13 citations,
December 2010 in “Archives of Dermatology” Minoxidil use can cause trichostasis spinulosa in long-term hair loss patients.
391 citations,
January 2010 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Half of people with Alopecia Areata may see hair regrowth within a year without treatment, but recovery is unpredictable.
196 citations,
June 2008 in “International Journal of Dermatology” Dermoscopy helps diagnose and manage alopecia areata by showing specific hair changes.
150 citations,
April 2008 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Scalp dermoscopy is good for diagnosing a type of hair loss and helps choose the best spots for biopsy.
304 citations,
July 2006 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Videodermoscopy improves diagnosis of hair and scalp disorders and may reduce scalp biopsies.
August 2018 in “Oxford University Press eBooks” The document's conclusion cannot be provided because the document cannot be parsed.
July 2013 in “DeckerMed Family Medicine” The document's conclusion cannot be provided because the document is not readable or understandable.
109 citations,
May 2011 in “Dermatologic Therapy” Alopecia areata is a type of hair loss that can lead to complete baldness, often associated with other autoimmune conditions, and half of the cases may see hair return within a year.
Trichotillometry can measure hair plucking force, aiding alopecia treatment evaluation.
