Sycosis is a chronic, inflammatory affection involving the hair-follicles, usually of the moustache and bearded regions only, and characterized by papules, tubercles, and pustules perforated by hairs.
Describe the symptoms of sycosis.
Sycosis begins by the formation of papules and pustules about the hair-follicles; the lesions occur in numbers, in close proximity, and together with the accompanying inflammation, make up a small or large area. The pustules are small, rounded, flat or acuminated, discrete, and yellowish in color; they are perforated by hairs, show no tendency to rupture, and are apt to occur in crops, drying to thin yellowish or brownish crusts. Papules and tubercles are often intermingled. More or less swelling and infiltration are noticeable.
Fig. 26.
Sycosis—not infrequently begins in, and sometimes limited to, this region.
The disease is seen, as a rule, only on the bearded part of the face, either about the cheeks, chin or upper lip, involving a small portion or the whole of these parts. It is also sometimes met with involving the hair follicles just within the nasal orifice, and may even be limited to this region.
Occasionally a sycosiform eruption, usually of the side of the bearded region, leaves behind a smooth or keloidal scar, the disease gradually extending—ulerythema sycosiforme (lupoid sycosis).
An inflammation of the hair-follicles of the scalp apparently sycosiform in character, occurring as discrete or aggregated lesions, is sometimes observed, the follicles being destroyed and atrophy or slight scarring resulting—folliculitis decalvans.
Does conspicuous hair loss occur in sycosis?