Tick bite‐induced alopecia areata‐like effluvium

    February 2024 in “ Australasian Journal of Dermatology ”
    Rodrigo Peñuelas Leal, Andrés Grau Echevarría, Carolina Labrandero Hoyos, Jorge Magdaleno‐Tapial, Altea Esteve Martínez
    TLDR Tick bites can cause temporary hair loss similar to alopecia areata in some people.
    This article presents a case of a 9-year-old girl who developed alopecia areata-like effluvium following a tick bite from the genus Ixodes. The patient exhibited a central cicatricial alopecic papule with surrounding hair loss, which resolved completely within 3 months after treatment with high-potency topical corticosteroids. The phenomenon, though rare, has been observed in children with similar presentations following tick bites. The exact mechanism is unclear, but it may involve anticoagulants or toxic effects from tick saliva. The study suggests that tick bites could trigger alopecia areata-like symptoms in predisposed individuals, and emphasizes the importance of considering tick bites in the diagnosis of alopecic plaques, particularly in rural areas during summer.
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