Athlete's Foot Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Athlete's Foot, including details on tinea, causes, treatment, prevention.

Alopecia in consultations in the dermatology department at Burkina Faso: epidemiologic, clinical, and etiologic aspects.

Traore A, Sawadogo S, Barro F, Niamba P

Department of Dermatology, Yalgado Ouédrago University Teaching Hospital, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. adama_traore@univ-ouaga.bf

BACKGROUND: Hair loss, or alopecia, in a man or woman can have major psychologic repercussions. AIM: The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiologic, clinical, and etiologic aspects of alopecia in our service. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was performed over two years. All patients of both sexes, who consulted a dermatologist for alopecia, were included. Sociodemographic, clinical, and etiologic data were collected. RESULTS: The prevalence of alopecia is 1.02%. It generally concerns young people who are pupils or students. Hair loss was generally asymptomatic; the onset was often progressive. Alopecia was diffuse in 13.20% of cases. It was noted that 13.20% involved partial alopecia. The scalp was scarred or inflamed in 54.71% of cases. Tinea (21 cases), Alopecia areata (14 cases), Keloid folliculitis (6 cases), androgenetic alopecia (4 cases), traction alopecia (4 cases) and cosmetic alopecia (2 cases) were the most common etiologies we found in our patients. CONCLUSION: This preliminary study shows few epidemiologic, clinic and etiological aspects of the alopecia in Black African.

Published 8 October 2007 in Int J Dermatol, 46: 30-1.
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