Dermatoscopy of hair shaft disorders

Until a few years ago the diagnosis of hair shaft disorders was based on light microscopy or scanning electron microscopy on plucked or cut samples of hair. Dermatoscopy is a new fast, noninvasive, and cost-efficient technique for easy in-office diagnosis of all hair shaft abnormalities including conditions such as pili trianguli and canaliculi that are not recognizable by examining hair shafts under the light microscope. It can also be used to identify disease limited to the eyebrows or eyelashes. Dermatoscopy allows for fast examination of the entire scalp and is very helpful to identify the affected hair shafts when the disease is focal. (J Am Acad Dermatol 2013;68:473-81.)