Ophiasis
Concerned about their son's progressive hair loss during the last 6 months, his parents brought the 2-year-old into the office. The clinical appearance of hair loss extending in a band configuration around the temporal-occipital scalp margin confirmed the diagnosis of ophiasis.
Concerned about their son's progressive hair loss during the last 6 months, his parents brought the 2-year-old into the office. The clinical appearance of hair loss extending in a band configuration around the temporal-occipital scalp margin confirmed the diagnosis of ophiasis. Ophiasis is a form of alopecia areata and occurs mainly in children. Compared with the other forms of alopecia areata, write Drs Alexander K. C. Leung and Matthew C. K. Choi of Calgary, Alberta, ophiasis has a worse prognosis and is associated with more persistent, severe, and recurrent disease.1 The effectiveness of treatment with topical minoxidil is variable. Minoxidil needs to be applied twice a day for at least 4 months before a response can be observed.
REFERENCE:
1. Leung AK, Robson WL. Hair loss in children. J R Soc Health. 1993;113:252-256.
