Moth eaten alopecia as a manifestation of group of skin diseases: Reporting a series of 100 cases

Background: The moth-eaten alopecia is a characteristic clinical pattern usually of multiple small ill-defined patches of hair loss that was originally used to describe alopecia in syphilis but it is not well reported in other skin diseases. Objective: To record all patients that present with moth eaten alopecia and to do full clinical evaluation and classification aiming to find skin diseases that initially or during the course of the disease present with this pattern of hair loss. Patients and methods: This is a descriptive observational study of a series of 100 patients with moth-eaten alopecia. The data were collected in Baghdad city from 2014 to 2021 with an age range between 8-45 years involving 72 males and 28 females. Full laboratory evaluation including scraping for fungal infection and skin biopsy were performed when its indicated and justified. Results: The results of this study showed that lichen planopilaris, was recognized in 32(32%) patients, their ranged from 20-45 years with a mean of 25, while males consisted 31(96.8%) and females 1(3.2%). Discoid lupus erythematous was identified in 26(26%) patients, their ages ranged from 18-48 years with a mean 30 years including 7(26.9%) males and 19(73.1%). Females. Alopecia areata was recognized in 11(11%) patients, their ages ranged from 8-25 years with a mean 17 years, among them 6 males (54.5%) and 5 females (45.5%). Chronic folliculitis presented in 9(9%) male patients, their ages ranged from 20-30 years with a mean 25 years. Striae distensea was seen and identified in 9 patients their ages ranged from 3-10 years with a mean 7 years, among them males 8(89%) and females 1(11%). Scalp morphea was detected in 7(7%) patients, their ages ranged from 5-34 years with a mean of 29 years among them 5(71.5%) males and 2 (28.5%) females. Tinea capitis was seen in 4(4%) male patients, their age ranged from 3-5 years with a mean age of 4 years. While Juicy Psoriasis was encountered in two male patients (2%). Their ages ranged from 7 and 15 years with a mean 11 years.