TLDR Leukemia can sometimes appear as unusual skin issues in children.
An 8-year-old boy presented with crusted scalp lesions and alopecia, initially misdiagnosed as kerion. Despite treatment with antibiotics and antifungals, his condition worsened, showing yellowish crusted plaques, alopecia, cervical lymphadenopathy, and scrotal swelling. Hematological tests revealed anemia, elevated ESR, and blast cells. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry confirmed leukemia cutis (LC) with Pre-B acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). This case highlights the importance of thorough examination in children with alopecia, as LC can be an initial manifestation of systemic leukemia.
20 citations
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July 2008 in “Dermatologic Therapy” The document says that treating the root cause of hair follicle damage is crucial to prevent permanent hair loss, and treatment options vary.
June 2008 in “Springer eBooks” The document concludes that permanent hair loss conditions are complex, require early specific treatments, and "secondary permanent alopecias" might be a more accurate term than "secondary cicatricial alopecia."
41 citations
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September 2007 in “Pediatric emergency care” Oral medication is necessary to treat scalp fungus in children, with griseofulvin being the usual choice.
1 citations
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January 2013 in “Elsevier eBooks” The document reviews various hair and nail disorders, their causes, and treatments, emphasizing the need for proper diagnosis and the link between nail changes and systemic diseases.
3 citations
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June 2021 in “Case Reports in Infectious Diseases” Fungal infections should be considered in scalp swelling to avoid misdiagnosis.
