title: Trichotillomania: a histopathologic study in sixty-six patients.
abstract: This report reviews the results of scalp biopsies in 66 (38%) of 174 patients with trichotillomania seen at the Mayo Clinic from 1978 through 1988. The most important findings included catagen hairs in 74%, pigment casts in 61%, and traumatized hair bulbs in 21%. Bulbar inflammation and atrophic anagen hairs were not seen. The most characteristic features most often were noted in specimens from areas that had been affected for usually less than 8 weeks. It is important to examine many sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin because only a few sections may show the characteristic changes. The study points out the usefulness of scalp biopsy for making or excluding a diagnosis of trichotillomania.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. 55905.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Muller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000505:Alopecia / Q000473:pathology; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005499:Folliculitis / Q000473:pathology; D006197:Hair / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000473:pathology*; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012535:Scalp / Q000473:pathology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D014256:Trichotillomania / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D010860:Pigments, Biological