SCARRING PSORIATIC ALOPECIA

Temporary hair loss is well accepted as a possible result of psoriatic plaques. On the other hand, it is still a controversial issue whether psoriasis can cause scarring alopecia. The following report presents a 38-year-old woman who had been suffering from progressive hair loss from chronic psoriatic plaques of the scalp for some years. Clinical e xamination revealed an area of scarring alopecia in association with t ypical features of psoriasis. Histology showed a cordlike fibrosis rep lacing former hair follicles, a perivascular lymphohistiocytic infiltr ate in the upper dermis occasionally invading the follicular epitheliu m, and characteristic features of psoriasis of the scalp. The clinical course and the lack of evidence for any other causes of scarring alop ecia suggest an aetiopathogenetic link between psoriasis and scarring alopecia. Knowledge of this relationship appears to be of practical si gnificance, since efficient antipsoriatic therapy can stop hair loss a nd thus may be able to prevent scarring.