**Author details**

Maria Azul Montani and Gisela Vaglio Giors

Department of Dermatology, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Argentina

#### **References**


innovative application, which is deployed on multiple research studies, and offers a less

[1] Pinkus, H. Skin biopsy: a field of interaction between clinician and pathologist. Cutis.

[2] Tran, K, Wright, N, et al. biopsy of the pigmented lesion-When and how. Journal

[3] Sina, B, Kao, G, et al. Skin biopsy for inflammatory and common neoplastic skin dis‐ eases: optimum time, best location and preferred techniques. A critical review. Jour‐

[4] Llamas-velasco, M, & Paredes, E. Basic Concepts in skin biopsy. Part I. Actas dermo-

[6] Llamas-velasco, M, & Paredes, B. La biopsia cutánea: bases fundamentales. Parte II.

[7] Carli, P, De Giorgi, V, et al. Addition of dermoscopy to conventional naked-eye ex‐ amination in melanoma screening: a randomized study. Journal American Academy

[8] Silverstein, D, & Mariwalla, K. Biopsy of pigmented lesions. Dermatological Clinical

[9] Bolognia, J. Biopsy techniques for pigmented lesions. Dermatological Surgery

[10] Marsden, R, Newton-bishop, J, et al. Revised UK guidelines for the management of cutaneous melanoma 2010. Journal Plastic Reconstruction Aesthesia Surgery (2010). ,

invasive and easy –to-perform tool for the diagnosis of this pathology.

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**Author details**

10 Skin Biopsy - Diagnosis and Treatment

**References**

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Maria Azul Montani and Gisela Vaglio Giors


[27] Herrmann, D, et al. Is skin biopsy a predictor of transition to symptomatic HIV neu‐ ropathy? A longitudinal study. Neurology (2006). , 66-857.

**Chapter 2**

**Scalp Biopsy and Diagnosis of**

**Common Hair Loss Problems**

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Patients presenting with hair loss (alopecia) is a very common problem and is often a cause of great concern for cosmetic and psychological reasons and this has several causes; as it may be

Alopecia can be either scarring or non-scarring. Non-scarring alopecias tend to have preserved follicular ostia, with no clinically visible inflammation in most presentations, although histologic inflammation may be present. The common types of non-scarring alopecias are androgenic alopecia, telogen effluvium, alopecia areata, trichotillomania and traction alopecia. Scarring alopecias, also known as cicatricial alopecia, refers to a collec‐ tion of hair loss disorders that have loss of follicular ostia, or atrophy, with permanent and irreversible destruction of hair follicles and their replacement with scar tissue. The histologic confirmation is the best method to confirm the presence of a fibrosing/scarring

Scarring alopecias can be classified as lymphocytic (discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), lichen planopilaris (LPP), central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, pseudopelade of Brocq), neutro‐ philic (folliculitis decalvans, dissecting folliculitis), and mixed (acne keloidalis) entities [1].

Many alopecia types are biphasic. For example, androgenetic alopecia eventually results in

and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© 2013 Al-refu; licensee InTech. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use,

© 2013 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution,

distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Khitam Al-refu

**1. Introduction**

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/55025

an important sign of systemic disease.

process with loss of hair follicles.

loss of ostia and thus may appear like a scarring alopecia.

**2. Causes of alopecia**


**Chapter 2**
