Localized atrophy with surrounding hair growth in a case of alopecia areata treated with intralesional steroids, using a needle-less injector

Feroze Kaliyadan¹ , Abdulaziz Alkhateeb¹ , Krishna Swaroop²

¹ Department of Dermatology, King Faisal University, Al Hasa, Saudi Arabia
² Department of Pathology (Biomedical Sciences), King Faisal University, Al Hasa, Saudi Arabia

Correspondence Address:
Feroze Kaliyadan
Department of Dermatology, King Faisal University, Al Hasa
Saudi Arabia

A 21-year-old female patient with extensive alopecia areata restricted to the scalp was given intralesional injections of triamcinolone acetonide (5 mg/ml) using a needleless injection device (Dermojet^®). The patient was also on concomitant phototherapy for alopecia areata. Because of the development of atrophy and depigmentation at the sites of injection, intralesional injections were discontinued. On follow-up, significant hair growth was seen around these areas of atrophy at some dermojet injection sites [Figure - 1] whereas hair growth was less profuse on areas where there was no atrophy.

Figure 1: Localized atrophy with surrounding hair growth in the areas where intralesional steroids were delivered using the needleless injector

Atrophy is an expected side effect of intralesional injections, but the presence of significant hair growth restricted to the areas surrounding atrophy was an interesting finding in our case.

Declaration of patient consent

The authors certify that they have obtained all appropriate patient consent forms. In the form the patient(s) has/have given his/her/their consent for his/her/their images and other clinical information to be reported in the journal. The patients understand that their names and initials will not be published and due efforts will be made to conceal their identity, but anonymity cannot be guaranteed.

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.