What is Keratosis Follicularis Spinulosa Decalvans?
This condition typically begins in childhood. Skin colored bumps around hair follicles (follicular spines) can be seen in the scalp but also in the eyebrows, eyelashes, and the on the back of the hands and fingers. Sometimes, thickening of the skin of the palms and heels may occur. By puberty, many of the follicular spines have disappeared and are replaced by thinning or atrophy of the skin and can eventually lead to scarring alopecia. The hair loss is often patchy and is rarely total. Eye irritation due to distorted eyelashes and other eye disorders have been reported to occur with this condition.
Cause
KFSD is an inherited disorder with family studies suggesting an X-linked dominant inheritance pattern, though other inheritance patterns have been reported. Men are often more severely affected than women.
Diagnosis & Treatments
In general, treatment of KFSD is difficult, however, there are isolated reports of improvement with oral retinoids.