Trichoscopic Signs in Dermatomyositis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, and Systemic Sclerosis: A Comparative Study of 150 Patients

The study compared trichoscopic features in 150 patients with dermatomyositis (DM), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and systemic sclerosis (SSc) to identify distinctive signs for each condition. It found that perifollicular red-brown pigmentation was exclusive to DM, brown scattered pigmentation to SLE, and white patches to SSc. Additionally, microaneurysmal blood vessels were specific to DM, while avascular areas were noted in SSc. These trichoscopic features were linked to disease activity, with decreased hair diameter indicating higher activity in SLE and the absence of thin arborizing vessels in SSc. The study highlighted the diagnostic and prognostic value of trichoscopy in these connective tissue diseases, despite limitations such as its single-center, cross-sectional design and relatively small sample size.