Applicability of trichoscopy in forensic medicine

Hair is a resilient forensic element capable of preserving morphological and biochemical information and may provide relevant evidence in cases of mechanical violence involving forcible traction or avulsion. This report describes the application of trichoscopy as a complementary tool in forensic medicine for the evaluation and documentation of traumatic hair-pulling injuries. A 66-year-old woman underwent forensic medical examination after reporting a single episode of hair traction injury resulting from interpersonal violence. Clinical assessment was performed, followed by trichoscopic examination of the affected scalp area to document hair shaft and follicular alterations. Trichoscopy revealed short terminal hairs of varying lengths, black dots, yellow dots, and the presence of vellus hairs. Petechial haemorrhages were not observed, probably due to the four-week interval between the traumatic event and forensic examination. The findings were compatible with post-traumatic alopecia after forcible traction. This case suggests that trichoscopy may represent a useful, painless, non-invasive, and reproducible complementary method for the objective documentation of traumatic scalp injuries, allowing digital image recording and highlighting its potential role as an auxiliary tool in forensic medicine.