CASE #1
A 40-year-old white woman presented with a coin-shaped area of baldness in her scalp that had suddenly appeared four months earlier. Her hair stylist had suggested that she seek medical assessment of the area. The patient did not have any other medical problems, and laboratory tests revealed normal levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone and serum B12. The area of alopecia did not itch, burn, or hurt. The woman had no children and reported no family history of a similar condition. When asked about any medications she was taking, the patient reported that she took only a multivitamin.
CASE #2
The patient was a 3-year-old boy who had hair loss in the middle of his scalp. His parents said that the alopecia had developed in the same area as an erosion that was present at birth. The mother had no medical conditions and had not consumed any medications while pregnant. As far as the parents were aware, no other family members had a similar loss of hair. The child was normal from a developmental standpoint and did not have any limb or internal defects. The area of alopecia was without symptoms. There was no evidence of a tinea infection, and no lymph nodes could be palpated.
What is the diagnosis?
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