A Case of Tufted Hair Folliculitis

Park, Jae Hong; Hwang, Eul Sang; Jeong, Jeung Tae; Kim, Soo Nam; Kye, Young Chul

Abstract

Tufted hair folliculitis is an inflammatory disorder of the scalp characterized by a peculiar tufting of hair within areas of scarring alopecia. Histopathological studies reveal perifollicular inflammation around the upper portions of the follicles sparing the hair root level. Within areas of inflammation, several follicles converge toward a common follicular duct with a widely dilated opening. The cause of tufted hair folliculitis is unknown, and the therapeutic approach is problematic. We present herein a patient with a 28-year history of recurrent and progressive tufted hair folliculitis. A 33-year-old man was referred to our department for the treatment of chronic and relapsing inflammatory lesions of the scalp. The clinical examination revealed a circumscribed area of 15cm length and 10cm width on the occipital area of the scalp which was characterized by hair tufting and exudates. Histopathologic findings were typical for tufted hair folliculitis. We believe that hair tufting is a secondary phenomenon which may occur in several inflammatory diseases of the scalp.