Shedding of scalp hair
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This article was written by Dr. Jeff Donovan, a Canadian and US board certified dermatologist specializing exclusively in hair loss.
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I posted an answer to a new question on Realself.com
I posted an answer to a new question on Realself.com
I posted an answer to a new question on Realself.com
Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune condition. Inflammation accumulates in and around the bottom of hair follicles leading to many changes to hairs. These changes can best be seen when highly magnified or using a dermatoscope. Dermatoscopic appearance of AA includes broken hairs, black dots, tapered hairs, vellus hairs, exclamation mark hairs, yellow dots and coudability hairs.
This picture shows a tapered hair. It is long but tapers to a very thin strand just before entering the scalp. Compare this to neighbouring normal appearing hairs which as fairly wide as they enter the scalp.
Tapered hairs provide clues that inflammation is present in the skin and further hair loss is likely to occur.
I posted an answer to a new question on Realself.com
I posted an answer to a new question on Realself.com
I posted an answer to a new question on Realself.com
Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) is a type of "scarring alopecia" that affects women. There is permanent hair loss along the frontal hairline. Other areas of hair loss include the top or back of the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, eyebrows and body hair.
Examination of the scalp shows alterations in the frontal hairline. Scattered isolated hairs are seen in the forehead and these are called "lonely hairs." Thinning of the skin is common in FFA and leads to veins being easy to see.
The cause of FFA is not known although hormonal abnormalities may be present in some women with FFA. The 5 alpha reductase inhibitors appear to be the most effect treatment and are frequently used in combination with treatments such as topical steroids, steroid injections and oral doxycycline or hydroxychloroquine.
I posted an answer to a new question on Realself.com
I posted an answer to a new question on Realself.com
I posted an answer to a new question on Realself.com
I posted an answer to a new question on Realself.com
I posted an answer to a new question on Realself.com
I posted an answer to a new question on Realself.com
I posted an answer to a new question on Realself.com
I posted an answer to a new question on Realself.com
I posted an answer to a new question on Realself.com
I posted an answer to a new question on Realself.com
A new study, published in the recent edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology supports the generally poor prognosis of scalp melanomas. Dr Xie and colleagues from Australia retrospectively examined the survival of 900 patients with head and neck melanomas. 237 patients (26.3 %) had scalp melanomas.
In total, scalp melanoma had double the risk for mortality compared to other head and neck melanomas. Patients with scalp melanoma had a 5 year melanoma specific survival of 70 % compared to 88 % with other head and neck melanomas.
The authors concluded that scalp melanomas have poorer survival than other melanomas. They tend to be thicker at diagnosis and tend to largely occur in males. These types of melanomas are easily overlooked. The authors advised that clinicians need to carefully examine the scalp for scalp melanoma and excise any lesions that are atypical.
Xie et al. Impact of scalp location on survival in head and neck melanoma: A retrospective cohort study. J Am Acad Dermal 2017; 76: 494-8
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