Alopecia Areata: Trichoscopic Markers in Determining Disease Activity

The study involving 137 patients with alopecia areata found that trichoscopic markers such as exclamation mark hairs and broken hairs are the most reliable indicators of active disease. Exclamation mark hairs were the most sensitive and specific marker, significantly more prevalent in active disease (91.9%) compared to stable disease (9.3%). The presence of exclamation mark hairs, triangular hairs, and broken hairs in bald patches notably increases the likelihood of disease activity. In contrast, markers like yellow dots and short vellus hairs were more common in stable disease and were not useful in determining disease activity.