Pediatric Pityriasis Amiantacea: A Multicenter Retrospective Study of 76 Patients

Abstract

Introduction: Pityriasis amiantacea (PA), also known as pseudotinea amiantacea, is a scalp disorder characterized by adherent scales surrounding hair tufts, with an unclear etiopathogenesis potentially linked to inflammatory scalp diseases such as psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, and atopic dermatitis. Methods: This retrospective multicenter study analyzed the epidemiology, clinical presentation, trichoscopic features, and management of 76 pediatric patients diagnosed with PA across 22 centers. Results: Pruritus was the hallmark symptom, and scarring alopecia was rare in pediatric patients. Regarding trichoscopy, recognizing the vascular patterns is demonstrated to be valuable for severe or unresponsive cases. In our study, monotherapy using topical steroid treatment generally led to favorable outcomes, suggesting that PA may be less aggressive in children due to earlier diagnosis and less severe inflammation. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of recognizing PA in pruritic scalp conditions in pediatric patients, suggesting effective management strategies that can improve quality of life despite the psychosocial impact of the disease.