Photoletter to the editor: The Friar Tuck sign in trichotillomania - PubMed (original) (raw)

Photoletter to the editor: The Friar Tuck sign in trichotillomania

Lígia Peralta et al. J Dermatol Case Rep. 2012.

Abstract

Trichotillomania (TTM) is an impulse-control disorder, in which patients chronically pull hair from the scalp and/or other sites. We herein report a 8-year-old male patient who developed TTM in the classical tonsure pattern ("Friar Tuck" sign). The diagnosis was confirmed by trichoscopy, which showed decreased hair density, broken hairs with different shaft lengths, black dots, signs of hemorrhage, and an absence of exclamation mark hairs.

Keywords: Friar Tuck sign; alopecia; dermoscopy; trichoscopy; trichotillomania.

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Figures

Figure 1

Figure 1

(A) Round patch of incomplete alopecia on the vertex demonstrating the "tonsure pattern" or "Friar Tuck sign". No inflammation or scale was present on examination. (B) Detail of the alopecic area.

Figure 2

Figure 2

Trichoscopy showing decreased hair density, broken hairs with different shaft lengths (black arrows), short vellus hairs (white arrows), black dots (circle), signs of hemorrhage (square box), and an absence of exclamation mark hairs. Note a recently fractured hair (arrow head).

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