clinical and histopathological study of cicatricial alopecia

ABSTRACT

To document the causes and clinical and histopathological features of cicatricial alopecia. A study of 40 patients was conducted to study the clinical variants and histopathology of cicatricial alopecia. In our study, major causes of cicatricial alopecia were lichen planopilaris [27.5%], discoid lupus erythematosus [25%], pseudopelade of Brocq [20%], systemic lupus erythematosus [5%] followed by scleroderma, dermatomyositis, keratosis follicularis spinulosa decalvans, aplasia cutis, kerion, follicular mucinosis, pemphigus, dissecting cellulitis of scalp/pyogenic folliculitis and acne keloidalis nuchae in 2.5% cases each. Morphological features included epidermal atrophy in 90%, erythema in 55%, follicular plugging in 40%, telangiectasia in 27.5%, diffuse scaling in 25% and mottled hyperpigmentation in 20% patients. The commonest histopathological features were perifollicular fibrosis in 65%, basal cell vacuolization in 52.5%, perifollicular lymphocytic infiltrate in 50%, epidermal atrophy in 35% and hyperkeratosis in 20% patients. Lichen planopilaris, discoid lupus erythematosus, pseudopelade of Brock were the common causes of cicatricial alopecia in the studied population.