Cicatricial (scarring) alopecia forms a group of disorders in which the common final pathway is the destruction of the hair follicle unit that is replaced by fibrous tissue. Hair loss may occur as a primary event when the follicle is the main target of the disease process (primary cicatricial alopecias) or as a secondary event when the follicle act as an 'innocent bystander' in the course of a disease occurring outside of the follicular unit (secondary cicatricial alopecias). Permanent hair loss may also occur in the late phases of some nonscarring alopecias that are called 'biphasic alopecias.' Primary cicatricial alopecia accounts for 5% of all trichologic consultations at the Section of Dermatology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy. Considering that hair loss has a strong impact on patients' psychology and quality of life, and that cicatricial alopecias can be associated with underlying systemic implications, it is extremely important that every clinician is familiar with the diagnosis and treatment of the different types of cicatricial alopecia. An accurate clinical assessment integrated with (video) dermatoscopy and histopathologic studies permits a high standard performance of correct diagnoses. A brief review of our current knowledge of disease pathogenesis and the hypothetical disease mechanisms is presented. Some practical considerations for improving the 2001 North American Hair Research Society working classification of the primary cicatricial alopecias are suggested. The aim of treatment is to slow or stop the progression of the inflammatory waves and the scarring process at the earliest phase of involvement. Recommendations for therapy are based upon a literature review, personal experience, expected adverse effects, and some pragmatic considerations such as the cost and patient compliance.

Galli-Galli disease is considered as a rare variant of Dowling-Degos disease, sharing the same clinical features of reticulate hyperpigmentation of the flexures. Histopathologically, there is acantholysis and suparabasal lacunae. Grover disease (transient acantholytic dermatosis) is a transient dermatosis which clinically presents as an eruption of erythematous excoriated papules located on the trunk and histologically with dyskeratosis and acantholysis. Grover disease has occasionally been reported in patients with chronic renal failure, human immunodeficiency virus infection, hematological malignancies, bone marrow allotransplantation, and renal transplantation. We report herein a case of atypical variant of Galli-Galli disease occurring in a liver transplant patient in whom the leading sign of reticulate hyperpigmentation of the large flexures was lacking. Instead, Grover-like, erythematous, keratotic, excoriated papules and lentigo-like macules with predilection for the trunk were found. Histopathology of both, an excoriated papule and a lentigo-like macule revealed the diagnostic features of Galli-Galli disease namely, elongated, pigmented, finger-like rete ridges, intraepidermal lacunae and acantholysis. However, serial sections of the lentigo-like macule were needed to reveal some suprabasal and subcorneal lacunae with minimal acantholysis. Thus, a good clinicopathological correlation is essential to make the right diagnosis of Galli-Galli disease. Although Grover disease has been described in the setting of solid organ transplantation and immunosuppression, this is the first report of an atypical variant of Galli-Galli disease occurring in a liver transplant patient.

The ratio of relevantly patch-test-positive patients resolved/improved after allergen avoidance is a useful patch-testing outcome indicator.