A clinical, microbiological, and histopathologic study of trichostasis spinulosa

Trichostasis Spinulosa: A Case Report with an Unusual Presentation

Trichostasis spinulosa (TS) is a follicular disorder characterized by the retention of multiple vellus hairs in a hyperkeratotic dilated hair follicle. TS is considered as a common disorder; however, it is often underdiagnosed due to its asymptomatic nature. Although the condition frequently affects the face or extremities, the widespread distribution of TS over the entire body has been once reported in a patient with chronic renal failure. To emphasize the infrequent presentation of TS, we herein report a 57-year-old male with an unusual location of TS.

Trichostasis Spinulosa at an Unusual Site

Trichostasis spinulosa (TS) is very common yet unrecognized disorder of the hair follicle. Usually occurring on the mid-face, especially on the nose, TS occurs more commonly in young, adult dark skinned women. Here, we present a case of TS at an unusual site diagnosed on the basis of history, hair mount, dermoscopy, and histopathology.

Treatment of trichostasis spinulosa with 0.5-millisecond pulsed 755-nm alexandrite laser

Trichostasis spinulosa (TS) is a follicular disorder in which multiple hairs in a keratinous sheath project above the skin surface. Current treatments provide temporary relief and side effects are common. We report the successful treatment of TS in 20 patients using a short-pulsed 755-nm alexandrite laser. The 20 patients (skin types II-V) presented with TS lesions on the tip of their nose. All patients received a single treatment (one to three passes) with the laser with cold air cooling but without anaesthesia or analgesia. Treatment parameters were as follows: pulse duration 0.5 ms, fluence 15-17 J/cm(2), and spot size 5 mm. The entire procedure required less than 5 min to perform. The patients were followed up for 3 months for any adverse effects or recurrence. In all patients the lesions disappeared immediately after treatment with minimal or no pain. Erythema was minimal and lasted 5-20 min in all patients. Patients were very satisfied. The treated areas were still clear 4 to 5 weeks later, and a second treatment was not considered necessary. There were adverse effects other than the erythema and there was no recurrence within the follow-up period of 3 months. A single treatment with a short-pulsed 755-nm alexandrite laser appears to be a rapid, minimally painful, and effective treatment for TS in patients of skin types II to V.

Acquired trichostasis in postoperative site: a case report

Introduction

Usual causes of a papule or nodule in a post-operative site after resection of a skin tumor are residual or recurrent tumor, proliferative scar, or suture granuloma with inflammation and granulation tissue. Inverted or trapped hair, an acquired trichostasis, has not been implicated as a cause in such cases, this is probably the first case reported in literature.

Case presentation

A 31-year-old woman underwent an excision of a ruptured epidermal cyst of the left axilla. One month later, the previous excision site was re-excised secondary to a non-healing, inflamed papule in order to exclude recurrent epidermal cyst formation. Microscopic examination revealed that the cause of the papular lesion was acquired trichostasis, rather than a recurrent epidermal cyst.

Conclusion

A papular or nodular lesion at a postoperative site may rarely be caused by acquired trichostasis and should be considered as one of the differential diagnosis.

Treatment of trichostasis spinulosa with a 755-nm long-pulsed alexandrite laser

BACKGROUND

Trichostasis spinulosa (TS) is a common disorder of hair follicle, characterized by spinous plugs. Topical treatments offer temporary relief but permanent removal of the abnormal follicles using hair removal lasers may result in a definite cure.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of 755-nm alexandrite laser for the treatment of TS lesions.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Two consecutive 755-nm alexandrite laser treatments were performed one month apart. The clinical response and adverse effects were assessed four weeks after the first and second treatments and 20 weeks after the second treatment.

RESULTS

Thirty one patients with skin phototypes II to IV completed the study. At the last follow up visit, a decrease in dark-plug density of greater than 50% was noted in 16 patients (51.3%), while only three patients (9.7%) had an improvement of greater than 75%. Ten of the 21 patients (47.6%) with skin type III and six of the seven patients (85.7%) with skin type IV achieved at least 50% improvement in lesions at the last follow up visit (P = 0.1).

CONCLUSION

The 755-nm alexandrite laser can safely and effectively reduce TS lesions lasting for a relatively long time in patients with skin types III-IV.

Dry dermoscopy in clinical treatment of alopecia areata

Although dermoscopy is conventionally utilized with immersion gel for diagnosis of pigmented tumor, we utilized dry dermoscopy, which is dermoscopy without immersion gel, for clinical treatment of alopecia areata (AA). The scalp skin and hair of a 38-year-old Japanese male, and 23-, 22- and 47-year-old Japanese females with AA, whose normal hair color was black, were examined by dry dermoscopy. Exclamation mark hairs, short hairs, fractured hairs and black dots, all characteristic of AA, were detected by dry dermoscopy of the scalp of the 23-year-old female with ophiasis type AA. In the case of the 47-year-old female with round hair loss on the occipital scalp and diffuse hair loss over the fronto-vertical region, dry dermoscopy was useful for diagnosis of AA based on hair characteristic of AA. After she received corticosteroid pulse therapy with 500 mg of i.v. methylprednisolone on 3 successive days, her hair showed apparent regrowth and disappearance of the abnormal hairs characteristic of AA, evidenced by dry dermoscopy 1 month later. In a case of long-lasting AA in the 23-year-old female, we found a follicular plaque-like appearance at the opened hair follicle pores by dry dermoscopy. Histopathologically, the incompletely differentiated remnant hair shaft was packed in the follicular infundibulum. In addition, regrowing vellus hairs, which were difficult to clinically recognize, were detected by dry dermoscopy. Dry dermoscopy is therefore useful for both diagnosis and follow up of AA.

Diffuse trichostasis spinulosa in chronic renal failure

Trichostasis spinulosa is a relatively common but underdiagnosed disorder of the pilosebaceous follicles in which there is follicular hyperkeratosis of a dilated vellus hair follicle with retention of successive telogen hairs arranged in parallel among keratinaceous material. The condition is apparent as dark follicular plugs in the affected areas, most commonly affecting the face (nose and cheeks) or the trunk (interscapular area in particular). We describe a 33-year-old Indian man who was on haemodialysis for chronic renal failure and who developed unusually widespread trichostasis spinulosa over almost the entire body including the lower limbs over a period of 18 months.

Trichostasis spinulosa: itchy follicular papules in young adults

Trichostasis spinulosa is a common inapparent follicular disorder of retained bundles of vellus hairs. There exist two variants: the classical variant presenting with a non-itching, comedo-like lesion on the face in the elderly, and the pruritic variant presenting with itching, follicular papules located on the limbs in young adults. Here we present the microscopic study of the pruritic variant of trichostasis spinulosa in two patients and provide a review of the literature.