Hair loss in adult females: A clinical and trichoscopic study

Abstract

Hair loss is a matter of concern in any individual irrespective of age and gender, more so in females. This study was undertaken to analyze the clinical patterns of hair loss in women in various disorders based on trichoscopic evaluation. In each patient, hair pull test and trichoscopy was done. Majority of the patients (67%) were in the age group of 21-40 years. The most common presentation was hair fall. Hair pull test was positive in 69.2% cases. The most common diagnosis observed was female pattern hair loss (36.2%); followed by telogen effluvium, pityriasis sicca, alopecia areata, canities, pediculosis capitis, scalp psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis. Trichoscopy showed empty hair follicles, focal atrichia, anisotrichosis, increased vellus hair, pilosebaceous units with 1-2 hair, white dots of eccrine ducts, honeycomb pattern. Trichoscopy is an important diagnostic tool especially in patients when diagnosis was unclear. It is an important technique and allowed us to avoid scalp biopsy for difficult cases.