Plica neuropathica: novel presentation of a rare disease

Abstract

Plica neuropathica is a rare condition involving complete matting of scalp hair. It typically occurs in otherwise healthy individuals, and in previous cases has been caused by either shampooing or neglect of hair. Cutting off the matted hair is the only solution. We present the case of a 14-year-old girl with a history of chronic illness and an acute infection presenting with plica neuropathica followed by complete hair loss. This unique case illustrates for the first time plica neuropathica in the absence of shampooing, and demonstrates that it can be associated with underlying illnesses and subsequent hair loss.