Prevalencia y subdiagnóstico de la alopecia por tracción en la población pediátrica

Traction alopecia is a traumatic and preventable form of hair loss caused by prolonged tension on the scalp, which in childhood often goes unnoticed until advanced stages. The study therefore aimed to describe the prevalence of traction alopecia in children and adolescents and to analyse its clinical recognition. A descriptive documentary review was conducted in PubMed, SciELO, Google Scholar and Elsevier, with a sample of 17 publications selected from 100 records. The condition predominated in girls and adolescents with tight hairstyles, was located in the marginal frontotemporal region and was confused with alopecia areata and trichotillomania, while dermoscopy revealed characteristic hair casts. It was concluded that targeted history-taking, dermoscopy and caregiver education prevent progression to scarring alopecia.