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Flame Hair.

Mariya Miteva1, Antonella Tosti1

  • 1Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Fla., USA.

Skin Appendage Disorders
|May 13, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Flame hairs, initially linked to trichotillomania, are actually broken hairs found in various hair loss disorders. These distorted hair shafts result from traumatic pulling or inflammation affecting anagen hairs.

Keywords:
AlopeciaBroken hairsDermatoscopyHair lossPathologyTrichoscopy

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Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Trichology
  • Hair Biology

Background:

  • Flame hairs are a trichoscopic feature previously associated with trichotillomania, characterized as hair residue from pulling anagen hairs.
  • The specific etiology and broader diagnostic significance of flame hairs in hair disorders remained unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the presence and prevalence of flame hairs in a diverse range of hair loss disorders beyond trichotillomania.
  • To determine if flame hairs serve as a diagnostic indicator in various alopecia types.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective, blinded trichoscopic image review of 454 patients across 11 different hair loss conditions.
  • Prospective, trichoscopy-guided scalp biopsies were performed on select cases exhibiting flame hairs.

Main Results:

  • Flame hairs were universally present (100%) in acute chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced alopecias.
  • The feature was also identified in trichotillomania (55%), alopecia areata (21%), traction alopecia (4%), and central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (3%).
  • Pathological examination confirmed flame hairs as distorted hair shafts.

Conclusions:

  • Flame hairs are not exclusive to trichotillomania but are a type of broken hair observed in multiple hair loss disorders.
  • Their presence can be attributed to traumatic hair pulling or anagen hair arrest caused by inflammation or pharmacological agents.