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Coexistence of giant blue nevus of the scalp with hair loss and alopecia areata
Author(s) -
TAKEICHI Sachiko,
KUBO Yoshiaki,
MURAO Kazutoshi,
INOUE Natsuko,
ANSAI Shinichi,
ARASE Seiji
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1346-8138
pISSN - 0385-2407
DOI - 10.1111/j.1346-8138.2010.01020.x
Subject(s) - scalp , dermis , alopecia areata , blue nevus , hair follicle , pathology , anatomy , giant cell , reticular dermis , hair loss , medicine , vellus hair , dermatology , nevus , melanoma , cancer research , endocrinology
A 43‐year‐old Japanese man presented with a 13‐year history of a grayish macule measuring 7 cm in diameter with sparse hairs on the vertex. Histopathological examination demonstrated two types of melanocytes, spindle‐shaped and ovoid cells, with abundant melanin aggregated around the upper part of the pilosebaceous apparatus. Fibrous, thick collagen bundles were also seen surrounding the upper part of the small hair follicles. There was no infiltration of melanocytes or lymphocytes in the lower dermis or adipose tissue. Based on these findings, a diagnosis of blue nevus, cellular type, was made. Giant cellular blue nevi on the scalp are rare, and 11 cases reported in the published work have shown characteristic features such as hair loss and cranial invasion of nevus cells. It should be noted that melanocytes of giant blue nevi have a high potential to damage other organs such as underlying bone and hair follicles. The patient also showed a typical lesion of alopecia areata on the left temporal which was successfully treated with topical corticosteroid.