Erosive Pustular Dermatosis of the Scalp: Why Do We Miss It?

Abstract

Erosive pustular dermatosis of the scalp (EPDS) is an uncommon disease and primarily affects older men who have photo-damaged bald scalp, as was confirmed by our case series. EPDS is probably an overlooked disease, whose diagnosis is often missed because of a higher incidence of other cutaneous diseases affecting the same area and usually secondary to chronic actinic damage, such as actinic keratosis, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. For the first time, we report a case series of misdiagnosed EPDS with the aim of understanding why a diagnosis of EPDS was initially missed and try to give some tips to avoid future diagnostic delay.