Hair loss among a group of Egyptian children: a clinical and dermoscopic study

Background Hair loss in children is commonly encountered in the dermatological practice. The diagnosis of hair and scalp disorders was based on clinical examination, pull test, KOH preparation, culture, and other methods for hair loss assessment. Now, dermoscopy is used as a new fast and noninvasive technique for easy in-office diagnosis of skin, hair, and scalp disorders. Objective To shed light on the causes of hair loss among a group of Egyptian children and to determine the frequent dermoscopic pattern of each disease. Patients and methods Children between 2 and 15 years of age and belonging to either sex with complains of hair loss and scalp disorders examined at the Dermatology Outpatient Clinic of Misr University for Science and Technology Hospital during the period from April 2013 to April 2014 were included in this study. Each child was examined clinically and dermoscopically and the results were statistically analyzed. Results The study included 255 children, and based on the clinical picture and dermoscopy, tinea capitis had the highest percentage (30.2%), followed by traction alopecia (16.9%), hair fall secondary to pediculosis (15.3%), and alopecia areata (13.3%). The incidence of seborrheic dermatitis and scarring alopecia was 6.7% each and that of trichotillomania was 3.1%. Other causes of hair loss were also observed. The frequent dermoscopic pattern of each disease is mentioned in detail. Conclusion Hair loss is a common problem among Egyptian children, wherein tinea capitis showed the highest percentage. The routine use of dermoscopy in scalp and hair disorders improves diagnostic capability beyond simple clinical inspection, thus aiding in accurate diagnosis and better management of alopecia.