2014.3-17.Neonatal

NEONATAL OCCIPITAL ALOPECIA IN A NEWBORN

Anca Chiriac¹, Anca E Chiriac², Piotr Brzezinski³

Corresponding author:  Prof. Anca Chiriac, MD PhD    e-mail: ancachiriac@yahoo.com

How to cite this article: Chiriac A, Chiriac AE, Brzezinski P. Neonatal occipital alopecia in a newborn. Our Dermatol Online. 2014; 5(3): 297.

A newborn, male gender, born at term, APGAR 10, was addressed to us for occipital alopecia observed since birth (Fig. 1). Mother was a young health person of 25 years old, primipara and the birth was non-Caesarian delivery. Alopecia was confirmed in the occipital area, with no signs of inflammation or other dermatological problems on the whole body. A diagnosis of frictional/pressure occipital alopecia was admitted and the family was reassured of the absence of any inquiry. No follow-up was recommended. Since the alopecia was confirmed during the first days of life of the infant the problem of friction/pressure during sleep was questioned. Looking through the literature: neonatal occipital alopecia was first described by Brocq long time before in 1907 [1]; since then, reports have been published and data showed a prevalence of 9-12 % [2], especially in Caucasian children [3]. It is a non-scarring alopecia, localized-type, described mostly in infants of 2-3 months old [3]. The cause of this type of alopecia remains a subject of debate: induced by pressure/friction during sleeping [4], being an acquired form of alopecia or a physiologic process of hair shedding started during gestation [5]. The present case of neonatal occipital alopecia diagnosed in the first day of life support the second opinion of a physiologic process started in utero. Further opinions and studies are necessary to clarify the question.

 

Figure 1. Neonatal occipital alopecia in a newborn.

REFERENCES

1. Brocq L. Traite elementaire de dermatologie pratique. Paris: Octave Doin; 1907:358.

2. Cutrone M, Grimalt R. Transient neonatal hair loss: a common transient neonatal dermatosis. Eur J Pediatr. 2005;164:630-2.

3. Rogers M. Hair loss in the neonate. In: Eichenfield LF, Frieden IJ, Esterly NB, editors. Textbook of neonatal dermatology. 1st ed. St. Louis: Mosby; 2001:494.

4. Chang MW, Orlow SJ. Neonatal, pediatric, and adolescent dermatology. In: Freedberg IM, Eisen AZ, Wolff K, Austen KF, Goldsmith LA, Katz SI, editors. Fitzpatrick’s dermatology in general medicine. 7th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2008:935–55.

5. Kim MS, Na CH, Choi H, Shin BS.. Prevalence and Factors Associated with Neonatal Occipital Alopecia. Ann Dermatol. 2011;23:288-92.