Frictional alopecia

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Frictional alopecia
Specialty Dermatology

Frictional alopecia is the loss of hair that is caused by rubbing of the hair, follicles, or skin around the follicle. [1] The most typical example of this is the loss of ankle hair among people who wear socks constantly for years. [2] The hair may not grow back even years after the source of friction has ended.

Contents

Signs and symptoms

Frictional alopecia causes hair loss secondary to frequent rubbing of the hair. [3]

Causes

Frictional alopecia is a non-scarring alopecia that may result from something rubbing against the hairs or from a self-inflicted tic disorder. [3]

Friction alopecia, when self-inflicting, is called trichoteiromania, a psychiatric condition marked by obsessive hair rubbing. [4]

Friction alopecia can be brought on by something rubbing against hairs repeatedly. It has been reported in the distribution of socks and shoes on the lower extremities of men, [5] on the back of the lower extremities from water slides, [6] in gymnasts performing head stands and rollovers on the balance beam, [7] and in a jogger with a tight-banded headphone on her scalp. [8]

When no frictional etiology can be identified, associations with peripheral nerve disease, thyroid dysfunction, and androgenetic alopecia have been proposed. [9] [10]

Diagnosis

Histology reveals no abnormal alterations. [11] Alopecia areata is a significant differential diagnosis. It is possible to distinguish between the two entities using dermoscopy. [12]

Treatment

Reassurance and avoiding the trigger factor are part of the treatment for frictional alopecia. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alopecia areata</span> Medical condition

Alopecia areata, also known as spot baldness, is a condition in which hair is lost from some or all areas of the body. It often results in a few bald spots on the scalp, each about the size of a coin. Psychological stress and illness are possible factors in bringing on alopecia areata in individuals at risk, but in most cases there is no obvious trigger. People are generally otherwise healthy. In a few cases, all the hair on the scalp is lost, or all body hair is lost. Hair loss can be permanent, or temporary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telogen effluvium</span> Medical condition

Telogen effluvium is a scalp disorder characterized by the thinning or shedding of hair resulting from the early entry of hair in the telogen phase. It is in this phase that telogen hairs begin to shed at an increased rate, where normally the approximate rate of hair loss is 125 hairs per day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alopecia universalis</span> Medical condition

Alopecia universalis(AU), also known as alopecia areata universalis, is a medical condition involving the loss of all body hair, including eyebrows, eyelashes, chest hair, armpit hair, and pubic hair. It is the most severe form of alopecia areata. People with the disease are usually healthy and have no other symptoms and a normal life expectancy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vellus hair</span> Type of hair that is short, thin, slight-colored, and barely noticeable

Vellus hair is short, thin, light-colored, and barely noticeable hair that develops on most of a human's body during childhood. Exceptions include the lips, the back of the ear, the palm of the hand, the sole of the foot, some external genital areas, the navel, and scar tissue. The density of hair – the number of hair follicles per area of skin – varies from person to person. Each strand of vellus hair is usually less than 2 mm long and the follicle is not connected to a sebaceous gland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamilton–Norwood scale</span> Scale used to classify male pattern baldness

The Hamilton–Norwood scale is used to classify the stages of male pattern baldness. It is one of the widely accepted and reproducible classification system for the male pattern hair loss. The stages are described with a number from 1 to 7 with a type A variant for the cases with anterior involvement.

Trichology is the study of the hair and scalp. The term derives from Ancient Greek θρίξ (thríx), "hair" and -λογία -logia. In most jurisdictions the title of a trichologist, not the field of trichology, is considered a para-medical discipline.

<i>Trichobacteriosis axillaris</i> Medical condition

Trichobacteriosis axillaris is a superficial bacterial colonization of the hair shafts in sweat gland–bearing areas, such as the armpits and the groin. It is a trivial disease of worldwide occurrence that is believed to be caused by the genus Corynebacteria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White piedra</span> Medical condition

White piedra is a mycosis of the hair caused by several species of fungi in the genus Trichosporon. It is characterized by soft nodules composed of yeast cells and arthroconidia that encompass hair shafts.

Madarosis is a condition that results in the loss of eyelashes, and sometimes eyebrows. The term "madarosis" is derived from the ancient Greek "madaros", meaning "bald". It originally was a disease of only losing eyelashes but it currently is the loss of both eyelashes and eyebrows. Eyebrows and eyelashes are both important in the prevention of bacteria and other foreign objects from entering the eye. A majority of patients with madarosis have leprosy, and it was reported that 76% of patients with varying types of leprosy had madarosis.

Pressure alopecia occurs in adults after prolonged pressure on the scalp during general anesthesia, with the head fixed in one position, and may also occur in chronically ill persons after prolonged bed rest in one position that causes persistent pressure on one part of the scalp, all likely due to pressure-induced ischemia. During surgeries, pressure alopecia may develop, regular head turning is noted as helping to avoid pressure alopecia during lengthy procedures.

Hair casts, also known as pseudonits, represent remnants of the inner root sheath, and often occur in great numbers and may mimic nits in the scalp.

Trichostasis spinulosa is a common but rarely diagnosed disorder of the hair follicles that clinically gives the impression of blackheads, but the follicles are filled with funnel-shaped, horny plugs that are bundles of vellus hairs.

Graham-Little syndrome or Graham Little-Piccardi-Lassueur syndrome is a cutaneous condition characterized by lichen planus-like skin lesions. It is named after Ernest Graham-Little.

Canities subita, also called Marie Antoinette syndrome or Thomas More syndrome, is an alleged condition of hair turning white overnight due to stress or trauma. The trivial names come from specific cases in history including that of Queen Marie Antoinette of France whose hair was noted as having turned stark white overnight after her capture following the ill-fated flight to Varennes during the French Revolution. An older case of Sir Thomas More's hair turning white the night before his beheading has also been recorded. Although a number of cases of rapid hair greying have been documented, the underlying patho-physiological changes have not been sufficiently studied.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trichomegaly</span> Medical condition

Trichomegaly is a condition in which the eyelashes are abnormally long, objectively defined as 12mm or greater in the central area and 8mm in the peripheral. The term was first used by H. Gray in 1944 in a publication in the Stanford Medical Bulletin, though he was only the third person to characterize the disorder; the first two reports were published in German in 1926 and 1931 by Reiter and Bab, respectively. Gray suggested the use of the term "movie lashes" to describe this condition, for long lashes were at the time being portrayed in film as a desirable characteristic in women.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diphenylcyclopropenone</span> Chemical compound

Diphenylcyclopropenone (diphencyprone) is a topically administered experimental drug intended for treating alopecia areata and alopecia totalis. Topical immunotherapy using diphenylcyclopropenone may also be an effective treatment option for recalcitrant warts. It is not approved by either the Food and Drug Administration or the European Medicines Agency.

In the field of dermatology, the Renbök phenomenon is a phenomenon where one skin condition inhibits another. It is also known as the reverse Koebner phenomenon. The term was first used by Happle et al. in 1991. The word "Renbök" is a neologism, made from a reversal of the letters of the name "Köbner".

Premature greying of hair (PGH), also known as canities, can have negative effects on appearance, self-confidence, self-esteem, and social acceptance of the affected individual. Hair is said to have greyed prematurely if it occurs before the age of 20 years in Europeans, before 25 years in Asians, and before 30 years in Africans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hair oil</span> Oil applied to the hair.

Hair oil is an oil-based cosmetic product intended to improve the condition of hair. Various types of oils may be included in hair oil products. These often purport to aid with hair growth, dryness, or damage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desmond Tobin</span> Irish academic, researcher and author

Desmond John Tobin is an Irish academic, researcher and author. He is a Full Professor of Dermatological Science at University College Dublin and the Director of the Charles Institute of Dermatology. He was Chair of British Society for Investigative Dermatology from 2018 to 2020. Tobin is a fellow of The Royal College of Pathologists, of the Higher Education Academy, of the Royal Society of Biology, Institute of Biomedical Science, and of the Institute of Trichologists.

References

  1. Olberding, Matt. "What Causes Hair to Fall Off Your Legs?". livestrong.com.
  2. Jakhar, Deepak; Kaur, Ishmeet (2 October 2018). "Frictional (Sock) Alopecia of the Legs: Trichoscopy as an Aid". International Journal of Trichology. 10 (3): 129–130. doi: 10.4103/ijt.ijt_96_17 . PMC   6029005 . PMID   30034193.
  3. 1 2 Fowler, Emilie; Tosti, Antonella (2019). "A Case of Friction Alopecia in a Healthy 15-Year-Old Girl". Skin Appendage Disorders. 5 (2): 97–99. doi:10.1159/000490712. ISSN   2296-9195. PMC   6388551 . PMID   30815442.
  4. Banky, Jeremy P; Sheridan, Adam T; Dawber, Rodney PR (2004-07-13). "Weathering of hair in trichoteiromania". Australasian Journal of Dermatology. Wiley. 45 (3): 186–188. doi:10.1111/j.1440-0960.2004.00087.x. ISSN   0004-8380. PMID   15250901. S2CID   38743534.
  5. Zhao, Johnny; Cohen, Philip R (August 2016). "Frictional alopecia of the distal legs: case series and review". Dermatology Online Journal. 22 (6): 13030. doi:10.5070/D3228032179. PMID   27617943.
  6. Adams, B B (May 2001). "Water-slide alopecia". Cutis. 67 (5): 399–400. PMID   11381856.
  7. Ely, P. Haines (1978-06-01). "Balance Beam Alopecia". Archives of Dermatology. 114 (6): 968. doi:10.1001/archderm.1978.01640180098043. ISSN   0003-987X. PMID   666348.
  8. Copperman, Stuart M. (1984-12-28). "Two New Causes of Alopecia". JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association. 252 (24): 3367. doi:10.1001/jama.1984.03350240017021. ISSN   0098-7484. PMID   6502902.
  9. Harries, MatthewJ; Siah, TeeWei (2014). "Anterolateral leg alopecia: Common but commonly ignored". International Journal of Trichology. Medknow. 6 (2): 75–76. doi: 10.4103/0974-7753.138595 . ISSN   0974-7753. PMC   4154156 . PMID   25191043.
  10. Srinivas, SahanaM; Sacchidanand, S; Jagannathan, Balaji (2016). "Anterolateral leg alopecia". International Journal of Trichology. Medknow. 8 (1): 49. doi: 10.4103/0974-7753.179402 . ISSN   0974-7753. PMID   27127383.
  11. Sharquie, Khalifa E.; Al-Rawi, Jamal R; Al-Janabi, Hassan A (2002). "Frictional Hair Loss in Iraqi Patients". The Journal of Dermatology. Wiley. 29 (7): 419–422. doi:10.1111/j.1346-8138.2002.tb00297.x. ISSN   0385-2407. PMID   12184639. S2CID   37002393.
  12. 1 2 Jakhar, Deepak; Kaur, Ishmeet (2018). "Frictional (Sock) alopecia of the legs: Trichoscopy as an aid". International Journal of Trichology. Medknow. 10 (3): 129. doi: 10.4103/ijt.ijt_96_17 . ISSN   0974-7753. PMID   30034193.

Further reading