Nuchal nevi flammei and alopecia areata

The Association between Nuchal Nevus Flammeus and Alopecia Areata: A Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND

The association of alopecia areata (AA) with nuchal nevus flammeus (NNF) has been demonstrated by previous studies.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate whether AA is associated with NNF.

METHODS

199 AA patients and 215 controls without AA were examined for the presence of NNF.

RESULTS

35 patients (17.6%) in the AA group had NNF. In the control group, 20 patients (9.3%) had NNF (odds ratio = 2.08, 95% confidence interval 1.43-2.73; p = 0.013). A statistically significant association was found between the presence of NNF and duration of the AA (p < 0.001). The presence of NNF was associated with severity of AA (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The results of our study suggest a link between NNF and AA especially in severer and more chronic forms.

Alopecia areata universalis Sparing Nevus flammeus

Alopecia areata is a common form of nonscarring hair disorder of unclear etiology. Cases with alopecia areata sparing congenital melanocytic nevi have been described. It is explained by the Renbök phenomenon or inverse Köbner phenomenon, which refers to normal hair growth in the psoriatic lesions observed in patients with psoriasis and alopecia areata. We report a 30-year-old man presenting with rapidly progressing alopecia areata universalis, which spared a large nevus flammeus on the left parietal scalp. Our case gives further evidence to the notion that nevus as genetic mosaic may show genetically determined resistance to alopecia areata.

Familial multiple lateral telangiectatic nevi (port-wine stains or nevi flammei)

Two families with multiple lateral telangiectatic nevi (LTN) (port-wine stains or nevi flammei) in various areas of the body in two and three generations are presented. In the second family, some members in addition to LTN also had superficial (strawberry) hemangiomas and hemangioma-like venous malformations. The pedigrees of these families indicate autosomal dominant inheritance of multiple LTN.