Tufted hair folliculitis in a patient affected by pachydermoperiostosis: case report and videodermoscopic features

Abstract

A 25-year-old man presented with Touraine-Solente-Golé syndrome (primary pachydermoperiostosis), with an area of inflammatory dermatosis (12-month evolution) of the scalp at the cranial vertex. The patient presented with arthropathy, clubbing of the digits, diffuse periostosis, pachydermia of the hands and feet, and periosteal hyperostosis of the knee. Facial seborrhea and sebaceous gland hyperplasia were evident (Figure 1A and 1B and Figure 2A and 2B). Examination of the scalp revealed an erythematous pruritic plaque with erosions, crusts, and pustules, on which multiple tufts of 10 to 20 normal-looking hairs emerged from single follicular openings (Figure 3A). Slight pressure on the perifollicular areas resulted in the discharge of purulent material through the dilated follicular openings. Cervical and occipital lymph nodes were not enlarged, and the patient was in generally good health. Routine laboratory findings were normal. Immunologic studies, including a screening for antinuclear antibody, complement, and immunoglobulins, were normal. Both potassium hydroxide staining and fungal culture were negative. Bacteriologic culture of purulent material taken from the affected area was positive for Staphylococcus aureus. Videodermoscopy of the lesion showed rarefied interfollicular twisted red loops centered around actively affected follicles and white dots with absence of normal vascular pattern (Figure 3B). These dermoscopy patterns are markers for folliculitis decalvans, of which tufted hair folliculitis (THF) is a clinical variant. Histologic examination showed hair plugging, a dense perifollicular infiltrate of plasma cells, lymphocytes, neutrophils, and large areas of scarring and fibrosis, which would confirm suspected THE THF was diagnosed on the grounds of clinical, microbiologic, histologic, and videodermoscopy data. The patient was treated with amoxicillin 875 mg plus clavulanic acid 125 mg twice daily and topical nadifloxacin 1% twice daily for 20 days, achieving substantial clinical improvement. One month after antimicrobial therapy, a single area of cicatricial alopecia with a few hair tufts emerging from single orifices was observed, and no new lesions or symptoms had appeared.