CASE REPORT   

Esperienze Dermatologiche 2019 March;21(1):27-9

DOI: 10.23736/S1128-9155.19.00484-9

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Lichen planus pigmentosus mimicking melanotic keratosis pilaris revealing frontal fibrosing alopecia

Maria MARIANO ✉, Claudia CAVALLOTTI, Luca MUSCARDIN, Norma CAMELI

Department of Dermatology, San Gallicano Institute for Research and Care, Rome, Italy

Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) is a lymphocyte-mediated primary cicatricial alopecia with a characteristic clinical presentation involving the hairline, eyebrows and other hair-bearing areas. FFA is increasingly accepted as a variant of lichen plano pilaris (LPP), as it may damage follicles of any size and during any phase of the hair cycle. FFA is characterized clinically by a slowly progressive symmetrical band of frontotemporal or frontoparietal hairline recession. Histopathologically, FFA has similar features to those of LPP. The coexistence between FFA and LPP has been described in the literature. Recently, case series of patients with coexisting FFA and lichen planus pigmentosus (LPPigm) have been reported. LPPigm is an uncommon macular variant of lichen planus (LP) occurring as diffuse or reticulated macules on sun-exposed areas and in flexures. We present a case of lichen planus pigmentosus mimicking melanotic keratosis pilaris with lichenoid histologic features revealing incipient frontal fibrosing alopecia.

KEY WORDS: Lichen planus; Imitative behavior; Alopecia; Keratosis