Patient Buzz: Fibrosing Alopecia in a Pattern Distribution | The Expert Weighs In
Slate recently published a first-person account of fibrosing alopecia in a pattern direction (FAPD) in the article, “I’m 25, and I Have a Cosmetic Problem That No One Wants – and That’s Maddening to Fix.” The article details the writer’s years-long experience with hair thinning, and how it took until an irregular blood test and scalp biopsy for an FAPD diagnosis. The writer’s treatme …
Slate recently published a first-person account of fibrosing alopecia in a pattern direction (FAPD) in the article, “I’m 25, and I Have a Cosmetic Problem That No One Wants – and That’s Maddening to Fix.” The article details the writer’s years-long experience with hair thinning, and how it took until an irregular blood test and scalp biopsy for an FAPD diagnosis. The writer’s treatme … Continue reading "Patient Buzz: Fibrosing Alopecia in a Pattern Distribution | The Expert Weighs In"
A 40 year old male presents to clinic with involvement of greater than 50% of his scalp. Topical therapies and intralesional injections in clinic have not resulted in much improvement. Before starting the appropriate FDA approved long-term oral medication, which laboratory blood work should be ordered?
A. Quantiferon gold test only
B. Fasting glucose, Hemoglobin A1C, lipid panel, and cor … 
Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis in this 56-year-old woman with pruritic hair loss for 3 months?
A. Lichen planopilaris
B. Androgenetic alopecia
C. Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia
D. Discoid lupus erythematosus
E. Folliculitis decalvans
F. Alopecia areata
To find out the correct answer and read the explanation, click here. … 
This article was originally published on October 22, 2019, and updated on February 2, 2026, by the Next Steps in Derm Editorial Team to include updated links to recent research on the use of biotin for hair loss, as well as a CME opportunity for clinicians seeking advanced training in hair and scalp disorders.
A full head of hair. This is how I came away from Dr. Heather Woolery-Lloyd’s lectu … 
A healthy 50-year-old patient presents with three-month history of progressive hair loss and scalp redness with associated pruritus. On closer scalp examination, there is perifollicular erythema, inflammation, and scaling. There appears to be loss of follicular openings in the erythematous patch. In addition, erythematous and skin-col …