title: What looks like alopecia areata is not always alopecia areata.
abstract: The differential diagnosis of a strongly positive and painless hair pull test includes alopecia areata and loose anagen syndrome. A hair mount examined with low power light microscopy easily clarifies the diagnosis.
authors: Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
authors: Vera H
authors: VH
authors: Price
mesh_terms: D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058247:Loose Anagen Hair Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008853:Microscopy