Abstract

Background: Hair loss is a frequent complaint, diseases that result in hair loss lead to low self-esteem and impaired psychosocial interactions. Present study was aimed to study trichoscopic relevance in the differential diagnosis of alopecia in tertiary care center.
Material and Methods: Present study was single-center, a cross‑sectional observational study, conducted in patients attending dermatology OPD, with complaint of hair loss.
Results: In present study, 228 patients of alopecia were studied. Majority were from 21-30 years age group (29.82 %) followed by > 41 years age (25.88 %) & 31-40 years age (21.49 %). Male patients (65.35 %) were more than female (34.65 %).  Among patients of Androgenetic alopecia (male) (66 cases), common trichoscopic findings were yellow dots (100.00 %), diameter diversity>20% (96.97 %), thin hair (93.94 %), vellus hair (54.55 %) & honeycomb pigment network (25.76 %).  In patients of female pattern hair loss (41 cases), common trichoscopic findings were diameter diversity>20% (85.37 %), thin hair (73.17 %), yellow dots (39.02 %), vellus hair (26.83 %) & honeycomb pigment network (14.63 %). Among patients of alopecia areata (52 cases), common trichoscopic findings were yellow dots (88.46 %), black dots (82.69 %), exclamation mark hair (65.38 %), vellus hair 53.85 %) & thin hair (42.31 %). In patients of telogen effluvium (45 cases), common trichoscopic findings were thin hair (77.78 %) & yellow dots (44.44 %).
Conclusion: Along with clinical and histopathological findings, trichoscopy is valuable, noninvasive, useful, low‑cost technique & relevant investigation in the differential diagnosis of alopecia.