SCALP AND HAIR LOSS PROBLEMS

My sister is losing her hair and freaking out! It started with a red, round, itchy, scaley dry patch right above her forehead the size of a quarter. She lost all hair in that area. She says it looks like eczema or psoriasis which her doctors have treated and done a biopsy for but all results are coming back negative. They thought it was alopecia but weren't sure. It appears to be cradle cap like infants get on her scalp. She says the patches are painful on her scalp and neck and feel like they're burning. She's taken steroids and topical creams but nothing is helping. Its still on her scalp and she's losing more and more hair in different areas of her head.  Its also went to the back of her neck. It comes and goes and now its on her arms, stomach and legs! When one rash or spot goes away, another one appears somewhere else on her body.  What is this if its not psoriasis?! It's been going on for about 6 mos. now....possibly longer!

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

You've got me.  Alopecia areata doesn't have scaling, and doesn't affect other parts of the body with scaling.  Psoriasis and the like does cause scaling but doesn't cause patchy hair loss.  If the doctors have done biopsies and offered treatments that haven't helped, then there's not much I can add from a distance.

One question: Does your sister ever pick or scratch at any of these areas?  If so, that could explain at least some of what you're describing, and of course it won't get better unless she stops.  Just a guess.

Good luck.

Dr. Rockoff

[littlears]

has she been tested for lupus these are symptoms of discoid lupus.

[sgs45]

A related discussion, hairloss was started.