A morphometric and histologic study of the scalp in psoriasis. Paradoxical sebaceous gland atrophy and decreased hair shaft diameters without alopecia.
A histologic study was designed to evaluate the pilosebaceous unit of the scalp in nonpustular patch- and plaque-stage psoriasis. Punch biopsy specimens from involved and uninvolved areas of 28 patients were sectioned in a horizontal plane for qualitative and quantitative study. All samples were evaluated in a blind mode, and data were analyzed for statistical significance. There was no evidence for alopecia of any type. Sebaceous gland atrophy was a frequent concomitant in the psoriatic lesion, with probable down-sizing of the hair follicle and thinner hair shafts. Paradoxical sebaceous gland atrophy and down-sized hair follicles in psoriasis may be due to possible inhibiting effects of yet unidentified factors produced by the epidermal lesion.
Headington
J T
JT
Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor 48109-0602.
Gupta
A K
AK
Goldfarb
M T
MT
Nickoloff
B J
BJ
Hamilton
T A
TA
Ellis
C N
CN
Voorhees
J J
JJ
D000328:Adult; D000505:Alopecia / Q000209:etiology; D001284:Atrophy; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D012535:Scalp / Q000473:pathology*; D012627:Sebaceous Glands / Q000473:pathology*