Scalp dermoscopy of androgenetic alopecia in Asian people

Abstract

Although dermoscopy is used mainly for diagnosing pigmented skin lesions, this device has been reported to be useful in observing alopecia areata and frontal fibrosing alopecia. Herein, we investigated the dermoscopic features and their incidence of androgenetic alopecia (AGA; n = 50 men) and female AGA (FAGA; n = 10 women) in Asian people. More than 20% hair diameter diversity (HDD), which reportedly is an early sign of AGA and corresponds to hair follicle miniaturization, was observed in the affected area of all AGA and FAGA cases, suggesting that HDD is an essential feature to diagnose AGA and FAGA. Peripilar signs, corresponding to perifollicular pigmentation, were seen in 66% (33/50) of AGA and 20% (2/10) of FAGA women. This incidence in the present study was lower than previously reported in white subjects possibly because the Asian skin color conceals slight peripilar pigmentation. Yellow dots were observed in 26% (13/50) of AGA and 10% (1/10) of FAGA cases and the number of yellow dots in AGA and FAGA was limited to 10 on the overall hair loss area. Yellow dots possibly indicate the coincidence of AGA and enlargement of the sebaceous glands caused by common end-organ hypersensitivity to androgen. In conclusion, dermoscopy is useful to diagnose AGA and FAGA and provides insights into the pathogenesis of AGA.