ABSTRACT
Alopecia areata (AA) is managed with prolonged medical treatments and cosmetic therapies, whose cost can be burdensome. We sought to identify the costs of AA treatment and consolidate the available data for the practicing dermatologist by performing a PubMed search of articles indexed for MEDLINE. Ten studies including approximately 16,000 patients with AA across a range of Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Levels of Evidence were included. Studies showed that despite the limited efficacy of many AA therapies, patients incurred substantial expenses to manage their AA.
Subject(s)
Alopecia Areata , Cost of Illness , Alopecia Areata/economics , Alopecia Areata/therapy , Alopecia Areata/drug therapy , Humans , Health Care Costs/statistics & numerical data , Dermatologists/economics , Dermatologic Agents/economics , Dermatologic Agents/administration & dosage , Dermatologic Agents/therapeutic useSubject(s)
Hyperpigmentation , Female , Humans , Hyperpigmentation/diagnosis , Skin , Black or African AmericanABSTRACT
African hair shaft and pigmented scalp have unique features that challenge diagnosis in scarring alopecia. In addition, Black patients may associate 2 or more types of hair disorders. Therefore, it is imperative to understand their findings thoroughly to establish a good diagnosis. Differential diagnosis on the frontal scalp includes traction alopecia and frontal fibrosing alopecia. Disorders such as central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, fibrosing alopecia in a pattern distribution, discoid lupus erythematosus, and lichen planopilaris usually affect the middle scalp. Folliculitis decalvans, dissecting cellulitis, and acne keloidalis nuchae are the main differential diagnosis of the posterior scalp.
Subject(s)
Cicatrix , Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid , Humans , Cicatrix/etiology , Alopecia/diagnosis , Alopecia/etiology , Hair , Scalp , Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid/complications , Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid/diagnosis , Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid/pathologyABSTRACT
This Patient Page describes the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of traction alopecia.
Subject(s)
Alopecia , Traction , Humans , Alopecia/diagnosis , Alopecia/etiologyABSTRACT
Brazilian keratin treatments are widely available products that are used by women all over the world to straighten hair. Marketers of these products claim that the keratin treatments render naturally curly hair more manageable and frizz-free while enhancing color and shine, giving the hair a healthier appearance. Although widely used, there have been virtually no reports of adverse side effects. Unfortunately, many of the products that are applied by salon professionals contain formaldehyde or its derivatives and are being marketed as safe.