Version for print Main / Articles / Folded pachydermia associated with hair transplantation (case reports)

Folded pachydermia associated with hair transplantation (case reports)

Scopus

Abstract

DOI: 10.32364/2587-6821-2026-10-6-15

Folded pachydermia associated with hair transplantation (case reports)

V.V. Gladko^1, G.A. Flaks¹, R.A. Pakhomova¹, A.A. Kolesnik¹, V.Ya. Kolesnik¹, V.A. Ivanova²

¹ ROSBIOTECH, Moscow, Russian Federation

² Russian University of Medicine, Moscow, Russian Federation

Folded pachydermia of the scalp is a rare benign condition characterized by skin hypertrophy and formation of pronounced folds. Despite the description of primary and secondary forms of the disease, an impact of surgical interventions — particularly hair transplantation — on the onset or progression of pachydermia is still underinvestigated.

Two clinical case reports of patients with androgenetic alopecia who underwent follicular unit extraction (FUE) hair transplantation are presented. In one case, transplantation was performed in the parietal region, while in the other it was limited to the fronto-parietal area. Dynamic follow-up including clinical and visual assessment of the scalp skin condition was carried out for 6 months. In both cases, localized enhancement of scalp skin folding that corresponded to the surgical site was reported after hair transplantation. No progression of folded skin changes was detected in intact regions of the scalp or in the occipital donor area where graft harvesting was performed. The obtained data suggest that hair transplantation may act as a trigger for development or exacerbation of folded pachydermia in predisposed patients. Mechanical skin trauma, microcirculatory disturbances, and local inflammatory response are likely to play a key role in the pathogenesis of this condition. The findings highlight the importance of thorough preoperative assessment of the scalp skin and informing patients about potential risks.

Keywords: folded pachydermia, hair transplantation, FUE, androgenetic alopecia.

For citation: Gladko V.V., Flaks G.A., Pakhomova R.A., Kolesnik A.A., Kolesnik V.Ya., Ivanova V.A. Folded pachydermia associated with hair transplantation (case reports). Russian Medical Inquiry. 2026;10(6):–438 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2587-6821-2026-10-6-15

About the authors:

Viktor V. Gladko — Dr. Sc. (Med.), Professor, Head of the Department of Skin and Venereal Diseases with a Cosmetology Course of the Medical Institute of Continuing Education, ROSBIOTECH; 11, Volokolamskoe road, Moscow, 125080, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0000-0002-2173-4383

Grigoryi A. Flaks — Dr. Sc. (Med.), Professor, Professor of the Department of Skin and Venereal Diseases of the Medical Institute of Continuing Education, ROSBIOTECH; 11, Volokolamskoe road, Moscow, 125080, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0009-0007-3298-3389

Regina A. Pakhomova — Dr. Sc. (Med.), Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Plastic Surgery of the Medical Institute of Continuing Education, ROSBIOTECH; 11, Volokolamskoe road, Moscow, 125080, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0000-0002-3681-4685

Vasilyi Ya. Kolesnik — Postgraduate Student at the Department of Plastic Surgery of the Medical Institute of Continuing Education, ROSBIOTECH; 11, Volokolamskoe road, Moscow, 125080, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0009-0001-6572-2392

Anastasia A. Kolesnik — Postgraduate Student at the Department of Plastic Surgery of the Medical Institute of Continuing Education, ROSBIOTECH; 11, Volokolamskoe road, Moscow, 125080, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0009-0002-9999-4107

Victoria A. Ivanova — 6th-year Student, Russian University of Medicine; 4, Dolgorukovskaya str., Moscow, 127006, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0009-0008-4193-2548

Contact information: Vasilyi Ya. Kolesnik, e-mail: v.kolesnik@bk.ru

Financial Disclosure: no authors have a financial or property interest in any material or method mentioned.

There is no conflict of interest.

Received 10.06.2026.

Revised 19.06.2026.

Accepted 30.06.2026.

References

1. Белышева Т.С., Зеленова Е.Е., Гассан Т.А. и др. Дифференциальная диагностика складчатой пахидермии кожи головы: клинический случай. Вопросы современной педиатрии. 2024;23(5):356–362. DOI: 10.15690/vsp.v23i5.2792. Belysheva T.S., Zelenova E.E., Gassan T.A. et al. Cutis Verticis Gyrata Differential Diagnosis: Clinical Case. Current Pediatrics. 2024;23(5):356–362 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.15690/vsp.v23i5.2792 2. Тлиш М.М., Кузнецова Т.Г., Наатыж Ж.Ю., Сычева Н.Л. Дифференциально-диагностический поиск в дерматологической практике и его влияние на качество оказания медицинской помощи: клинические случаи. Кубанский научный медицинский вестник. 2023;30(6):89–101. DOI: 10.25207/1608-6228-2023-30-6-89-101. Tlish M.M., Kuznetsova T.G., Naatyzh Zh.Yu., Sycheva N.L. Differential diagnostic search in dermatologic practice and its effect on quality of medical care: Clinical cases. Kuban Scientific Medical Bulletin. 2023;30(6):89–101 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.25207/1608-6228-2023-30-6-89-101 3. Охлопков В.А., Зубарева Е.Ю., Радул Е.В., Бочарова С.Д. Складчатая пахидермия кожи волосистой части головы. Российский журнал кожных и венерических болезней. 2015;18(2):28–30. Okhlopkov V.A., Zubareva E.Yu., Radul E.V., Bocharova S.D. Cutis verticis gyrata of the hairy part of the head. Russian Journal of Skin and Venereal Diseases. 2015;18(2):28–30 (in Russ.). 4. Панкратов В.Г., Панкратов О.В., Касперович Л.С. Складчатая пахидермия кожи волосистой части головы. Белорусский медицинский журнал. 2002;(2):121–122. Pankratov V.G., Pankratov O.V., Kasperovich L.S. Cutis verticis gyrata of the head hairy part skin. Belorusskij medicinskij zhurnal. 2002;(2):121–122 (in Russ.). 5. Карачева Ю.В., Винник Ю.Ю., Смыкова А.Н. и др. Первичный пахидермопериостоз. Клиническая дерматология и венерология. 2021;20(3):139–143. Karacheva Yu.V., Vinnik Yu.Yu., Smykova A.N. et al. Primary pachydermoperiostosis. Russian Journal of Clinical Dermatology and Venereology. 2021;20(3):139–143 (in Russ.). 6. Моррисон A.B., Епифанова А.Ю., Кауц Э.А. Клинические особенности и диагностика складчатой пахидермии кожи головы (клинический случай). Саратовский научно-медицинский журнал. Приложение: Дерматовенерология. 2022;18(4):725–728. Morrison A.V., Epifanova A.Yu., Kauts E.A. Clinical features and diagnostics of cutis verticis gyrata (clinical case). Saratov Journal of Medical Scientific Research. Supplement: Dermatovenereology. 2022;18(4):725–728 (in Russ.). 7. Спасская А.Д., Некрасова Е.Г. Складчатая пахидермия. Клинический случай. Тверской медицинский журнал. 2023;1:285–289. Spasskaya A.D., Nekrasova E.G. Folded pachyderma. Clinical case. Tver Medical Journal. 2023;1:285–289 (in Russ.). 8. Birchall N. Cutis verticis gyrata: three cases with different aetiologies that demonstrate the classification system. Austral J Dermatol. 2007;48(2):91–94. DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-0960.2007.00343.x 9. Sankarapandian J., Palaniappan V., Karthikeyan K. Primary Essential Cutis Verticis Gyrata: A Case Report with a Review of Literature. Indian Dermatol Online J. 2023;15(2):313–315. DOI: 10.4103/idoj.idoj_210_23 10. Buontempo M.G., Alhanshali L., Shapiro J. et al. A case of cutis verticis gyrata developing in a patient with primary scarring alopecia: A unique presentation of a rare disorder. JAAD Case Rep. 2023;38:44–47. DOI: 10.1016/j.jdcr.2023.05.039

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons «Attribution» 4.0 License.

Read the article in PDF in Russian

Clinical experience with recombinant ang...

329

Efficacy of topical interferon therapy i...

388

All articles