Clinico-Dermoscopic Pattern of Beard Alopecia Areata: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune condition affecting hair-bearing regions of the body. Few studies worldwide have focused exclusively on beard alopecia areata (BAA). AIMS: To describe the clinical associations, comorbidities, and dermoscopy of BAA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-six patients with BAA were recruited for this hospital-based cross-sectional study. Patients with disease onset of less than 1 month, patches showing extension, and appearance of new patches within the past 1 month were grouped under active disease. Dermoscopy was performed using handheld polarized dermoscope. Chi-square test was applied to know the various associations. P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. STATA 11.2 was used for analysis of data. RESULTS: The mean age was 31.07 ± 8.72 years. The majority (50%) belonged to 20–29 age group. Twenty-two (48%) patients had active disease. Fourteen (30.43%) patients had extra-beard manifestation of AA. Statistically significant association was noted between active disease and extra-beard manifestation (P = 0.034). Diabetes mellitus and hypertension were noted in one and three patients, respectively. Alcohol abuse was noted in six patients and smoking in five patients. Dermoscopic findings such as black dots, short vellus hair, tapering hair, nonfollicular white dots, regrowing hair, yellow dots, and black dots were similar to findings noted in AA. Uncommon findings such as peripilar sign, i-hair, perifollicular hemorrhage, and tulip hair were observed in BAA. LIMITATIONS: Small sample size, lack of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Trichoscopy of BAA may reveal newer nonfollicular findings, in addition to the follicular findings already described in literature for AA.