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“Follicular Mucinosis” = histological reaction pattern
| • | may be found as an incidental phenomenon in rare cases of LSC, acne vulgaris, arthropod bites etc… |
“Alopecia Mucinosa” = the idiopathic dermatosis which is the prototype for this reaction pattern
| • | a boggy cutaneous plaque with histological evidence of mucinous degeneration of hair follicles |
| • | a coexisting lymphoma is associated in ~ 15% of cases |
Three clinical types traditionally recognized:
| 1. | benign transient form – limited to face and scalp |
| 2. | widely distributed form – course often >2yrs |
| 3. | widespread lesions associated with lymphoma (15-30% cases) |
clinical:
| • | boggy swellings develop (especially face and scalp) and a sticky discharge may be elicited from hair follicles |
| • | in some cases leprosy can be simulated |
diagnosis:
| • | the loss of hair in plaques with prominent follicles but minimal inflammatory changes should suggest the diagnosis |
| • | sometime mucin can be expressed from the follicle |
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