Table I.
Characteristics and results of 11 original articles reporting the use of teledermatology in 9622 patients with hair loss disorders
| Title, author and year published | Design, patients, patients with hair loss | Measurements | Outcomes | Types of teledermatology used |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Can a correct diagnosis be established using the teledermatology method? Taslidere et al 2022 |
Survey 546 patients (mean age: 32.72, 338/546 male) with dermatologic chief complaints presenting to dermatology clinic for initial visit and diagnosis via telemedicine or face to face Hair loss patients: 18 (AA: 12, AGA: 4, CA: 2) |
Diagnostic agreement between teledermatology diagnosis and FTF diagnosis Total agreement: same first diagnoses Partial agreement: same second and third diagnoses No agreement: no same diagnoses |
AA (n = 12) total agreement = 12 AGA (n = 4) total agreement = 4 CA (n = 2) Total agreement = 2 |
Asynchronous (store-forward) |
| Diagnosis of hair disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: an introduction to teletrichoscopy Randolph et al 2021 |
Cohort Study 235 patients with hair loss disorder Hair loss patients: 235 (AA, AGA, CA FFA, TE, other scaring alopecias) |
Ability of 2 teletrischoscopic methods, macro-imaging app and handheld microscope, to demonstrate clinical findings specific to each hair loss condition | AA findings: Yellow dots Broken hairs Exclamation mark hairs AGA findings: Hair shaft variability CA findings: Hair shaft variability FFA findings: Absence of vellus hair TE findings: Lack of hair shaft variability Other scaring alopecias: Absence of follicular openings Peripilar casts |
Teletrichoscopy: Macro-imaging app Handheld microscope |
| Digital health platforms expand access and improve care for male androgenetic alopecia Young et al 20232 |
Survey 8983 patients (8983/8983 male) with AGA using digital health platforms for hair loss treatment. Hair loss patients: 8983 patients (AGA: 8983) |
Patient reported hair regrowth, medication compliance, and telemedicine satisfaction | Hair regrowth (n = 3359) A lot of hair growth: 268/3359 (8%) Some hair growth: 1475/3359 (44%) Medication compliance (n = 3359) Never miss taking my medication: 1475/3359 (43%) Miss my medication 50% of the time or more: 52/3359 (1.54%) Telemedicine satisfaction (n = 5642) more convenient because everything is online: 3378/5642 (60%) |
Keeps digital health platform |
| Comparison of pediatric dermatology conditions across telehealth and in-person visits during the COVID-19 pandemic Duan et al 2022 |
Cohort study 1488 patients (mean age: 32.72, 338/546 male) with dermatologic chief complaints presenting to teledermatology clinic for initial visit and diagnosis. Hair loss patients: 53 patients (AA: 40, Nonscarring hair loss: 13) |
In-person visit, or telehealth visit frequency per dermatologic condition | AA (n = 40) In-person: 39/40 Telehealth: 1/40 Nonscarring hair loss (n = 13) In-person: 12/13 Telehealth: 1/13 |
Synchronous telehealth video visits |
| COVID-19 Pandemic impact on severe alopecia areata patients Gheisari et al 2021 |
Survey 57 patients (mean age: 30.95, 26/57 male) diagnosed with alopecia previously receiving systemic therapy. Hair loss patients: 57 patients (AA: 5, Alopecia totalis: 12, Alopecia universalis: 40) |
Patient reported hair loss progression during management via telemedicine | AA (n = 57) Experienced hair loss progression: 21/57 patients (36.8%) Did not experience hair loss progression: 36/57 patients (63.2%) The odds of hair loss progression were significantly higher in patients who had altered drug dose. |
Telephone call |
| Teledermatology service during the COVID-19 pandemic in China: a mobile application-based retrospective study Mu et al 20213 |
Cohort study 698 patients (mean age: 26, 315/698 male) with dermatologic chief complaints presenting to teledermatology clinic for initial visit and diagnosis. Hair loss patients: 17 (AGA: 17) |
Frequency of dermatologic condition seen among telehealth visits | AGA: 17/698 (2%) |
Haodaifu telemedicine platform (mobile app that offers synchronous, asynchronous, and hybrid telemedicine) |
| Teledermatology services during COVID-19 pandemic: experience of a tertiary care center in Western India Bains et al 20224 |
Cohort study 2117 patients (mean age: 35.59, 1372/2117 male) with dermatologic chief complaints presenting to teledermatology clinic for initial visit and diagnosis. Hair loss patients: 239 (AGA, TE) |
Frequency of dermatologic condition seen among telehealth visits | Hair disorders: 239/2117 (13.48%) |
Asynchronous (store-forward) teleconsultation using WhatsApp |
| Dealing with suspended new routine general dermatology referrals during the COVID-19 pandemic: a virtual model from our local departmental experience Pararajasingam et al 2021 |
Pilot study 381 patients with dermatologic chief complaints referred to dermatology from primary care for initial visit and diagnosis. Hair loss patients: 3 |
Classification of dermatologic conditions assessed via telemedicine Class I: need to be seen FTF Class II: telephone consultation with clinical photographs Class III: telephone consultation without photographs |
Class 1 (n = 88) Alopecia: 0/88 Class 2 (n = 244) Alopecia: 0/244 Class 3 (n = 49) Alopecia: 3/49 |
Synchronous teleconsultation with or without clinical photographs |
| Evaluation of electronic consults for outpatient pediatric patients with dermatologic complaints Pahalyants et al 2021 |
Cohort study 302 patients (mean age: 4.6, 139/302 male) with dermatologic chief complaints referred to dermatology from primary care for initial visit and diagnosis. Hair loss patients: 11 (Alopecia and TE) |
Recommendation for in-person follow-up evaluation | Total alopecia patients: (n = 11) No follow-up: 4/11 (36.3%) Follow-up recommended: 7/11 (63.6%) |
Asynchronous (store-forward) |
| Pediatric teledermatology consultations: relationship between provided data and diagnosis Philip et al 2013 |
Cohort study 395 patients (mean age: 8, 210/395 male) with dermatologic chief complaints referred to dermatology from primary care for initial visit and diagnosis. Hair loss patients: 5 |
Characteristics of and confidence in diagnoses made by pediatric teledermatologists | Teledermatology Diagnosis (n = 350) Alopecias: 5/350 (1.4%) Diagnostic Confidence (n = 395) Definite diagnosis: 189/395 Probable diagnosis: 68/395 Differential diagnosis: 38/395 Unable to diagnose 99/395 |
Asynchronous (store-forward) |
| Utility of teledermatology in the diagnosis of loose anagen syndrome Lalama et al 20235 |
Case report 1 patient diagnosed with loose anagen syndrome (LAS) via telehealth. Hair loss patients: 1 |
Diagnosis of hair disorder through teletrichoscopy during a telemedicine visit | Telemedicine and in-person follow up diagnosis: n = 1 LAS: 1/1 |
Asynchronous (store-forward) |
AA, Alopecia areata; AGA, androgenetic alopecia; CA, cicatricial alopecia; FFA, frontal fibrosing alopecia; TE, telogen effluvium; LPP, lichen planopilaris; LAS, loose anagen sydrome; FTF, face to face.