To the Editor.—
Unusually prolonged pressure on the vertex by the uterine cervix during or prior to delivery may result in a hemorrhagic form of caput succedaneum with contusion and necrosis of the scalp tissues. Hair loss occurring as a consequence of such pressure necrosis assumes an annular configuration and has been referred to as a halo scalp ring.1 Although usually a temporary defect, at least two cases of permanent alopecia have been documented previously.2,3 We report an infant who presented with a curious pattern of scarring alopecia that we attribute to this form of birth injury.
Report of a Case.—
A 9-month-old girl was seen at Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, for evaluation of an area of alopecia that dated from birth. She was the product of a 36-week pregnancy, delivered by cesarean section to a 30-year-old woman (para 2, gravida 0, abortus 1). Pregnancy had been complicated by premature