Yellow dots in trichoscopy: relevance, clinical significance and peculiarities*

Yellow dots are follicular ostium filled with keratin and/or sebum. Initially, they were exclusively associated with alopecia areata. Currently they have also been described in androgenetic alopecia, chronic cutaneous (discoid) lupus erythematosus, and dissecting cellulitis. Due to the growing importance of trichoscopy and its findings in the evaluation of the scalp, this article describes the main diseases in which yellow dots are a common trichoscopic finding, highlighting its characteristics in each dermatosis.

Keywords:
Alopecia; Dermoscopy; Hair diseases

Authorship

Caren dos Santos Lima Mailing address: Caren dos Santos Lima, R. Álvares de Azevedo, 178 - Apto 1201, Icaraí , 24220-021 Niterói, RJ - Brazil. E-mail: caren.dossantoslima@gmail.com

Alopecia Outpatient Clinic at Hospital Naval Marcílio Dias (HNMD) - Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil.Hospital Naval Marcílio DiasBrazilRio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilAlopecia Outpatient Clinic at Hospital Naval Marcílio Dias (HNMD) - Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil.

Luciana Rodino Lemes

Daniel Fernandes Melo

Postgraduate Program in Medical Sciences at Hospital Universitário Pedro Ernesto (HUPE) - UERJ - Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil.UERJBrazilRio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilPostgraduate Program in Medical Sciences at Hospital Universitário Pedro Ernesto (HUPE) - UERJ - Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil.

Mailing address: Caren dos Santos Lima, R. Álvares de Azevedo, 178 - Apto 1201, Icaraí , 24220-021 Niterói, RJ - Brazil. E-mail: caren.dossantoslima@gmail.com

Conflict of interest: none.

SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Figures

Figures (4)

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Figure 1
Trichoscopy in alopecia areata. A: Presence of numerous yellow dots, some grouped in pairs (yellow arrows), with regular distribution along the lesion. B: Note multiple pinkish-yellow dots of uniform size and color (blue arrows), some with central dystrophic hairs (yellow arrows). Dermoscopy performed with 3Gen DermLite® II Hybrid M; X10 magnification

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Figure 2
Trichoscopy in androgenetic alopecia. A: Frontal region revealing the presence of yellow dots of different sizes and color, ranging from pale yellow (yellow arrow) to brownish-yellow (blue arrows). Note the irregular distribution of these structures along the affected area. B: Vertex showing multiple yellow dots of varying sizes and colors, some associated with miniaturized hairs. Dermoscopy performed with 3Gen DermLite® II Hybrid M; X10 magnification

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Figure 3
Trichoscopy in chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus. A: Presence of a large brownish-yellow dot with a double contour in the center of the atrophic area (blue arrow). B: Yellow dots with double contour and irregular dimensions (yellow arrows). Observe the presence of fine arborizing vessels emerging from some yellow dots – “red spider in a yellow dot” – typical of pre-fibrotic stages of the disease (blue arrows). Dermoscopy performed with 3Gen DermLite® II Hybrid M; X10 magnification

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Figure 4
Trichoscopy in dissecting cellulitis. A: Occipital region showing a large single yellow dot, of three-dimensional appearance, resembling a soap bubble (blue arrow). B: Three-dimensional brownish-yellow dots with irregular distribution along the plaque (blue arrows). Observe the presence of dystrophic hairs inside some yellow dots (yellow arrows). Dermoscopy performed with 3Gen DermLite® II Hybrid M; X10 magnification

Figure 1 Trichoscopy in alopecia areata. A: Presence of numerous yellow dots, some grouped in pairs (yellow arrows), with regular distribution along the lesion. B: Note multiple pinkish-yellow dots of uniform size and color (blue arrows), some with central dystrophic hairs (yellow arrows). Dermoscopy performed with 3Gen DermLite® II Hybrid M; X10 magnification

Figure 2 Trichoscopy in androgenetic alopecia. A: Frontal region revealing the presence of yellow dots of different sizes and color, ranging from pale yellow (yellow arrow) to brownish-yellow (blue arrows). Note the irregular distribution of these structures along the affected area. B: Vertex showing multiple yellow dots of varying sizes and colors, some associated with miniaturized hairs. Dermoscopy performed with 3Gen DermLite® II Hybrid M; X10 magnification

Figure 3 Trichoscopy in chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus. A: Presence of a large brownish-yellow dot with a double contour in the center of the atrophic area (blue arrow). B: Yellow dots with double contour and irregular dimensions (yellow arrows). Observe the presence of fine arborizing vessels emerging from some yellow dots – “red spider in a yellow dot” – typical of pre-fibrotic stages of the disease (blue arrows). Dermoscopy performed with 3Gen DermLite® II Hybrid M; X10 magnification

Figure 4 Trichoscopy in dissecting cellulitis. A: Occipital region showing a large single yellow dot, of three-dimensional appearance, resembling a soap bubble (blue arrow). B: Three-dimensional brownish-yellow dots with irregular distribution along the plaque (blue arrows). Observe the presence of dystrophic hairs inside some yellow dots (yellow arrows). Dermoscopy performed with 3Gen DermLite® II Hybrid M; X10 magnification

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E-mail: revista@sbd.org.br

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