folliculitis decalvans

Folliculitis decalvans or tufted folliculitis usually affects scalp.

Cicatricial alopecias that are due to predominantly neutrophilic inflammation include folliculitis decalvans and dissecting cellulitis.

Folliculitis decalvans is an inflammatory alopecia that leads to bogginess or induration of involved parts of the scalp along with pustules, erosions, crusts, and scale.

Treatment of the neutrophilic group of cicatricial alopecias (folliculitis decalvans, tufted folliculitis) is directed at eliminating the predominant pathogenic microbes that are invariably involved in the inflammatory process.

Localized or diffuse hair loss may also occur in cicatricial alopecia (lupus erythematosus, lichen plano pilaris, folliculitis decalvans, central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, postmenopausal frontal fibrosing alopecia, etc.).

This is a clinical finding that describes the diagnosis of some primary cicatricial alopecias as noted mainly in the central scalp, and includes CCCA, folliculitis decalvans, and any other potential centrally presenting cicatricial alopecia.

Each specific diagnosis within this category is fairly rare, but some examples include dissecting cellulitis, eosinophilic pustular folliculitis, follicular degeneration syndrome (previously called "hot comb" alopecia), folliculitis decalvans, lichen planopilaris, and pseudopelade of Brocq, to name a few.

Tufted folliculitis presents with doll's hair-like bundling of follicular units, and is seen in a wide range of scarring conditions including chronic staphylococcal infection, chronic lupus erythematosus, lichen planopilaris, Graham-Little syndrome, folliculitis decalvans, acne keloidalis nuchae, immunobullous disorders, and dissecting cellulitis.