Alopecia in meralgia paresthetica.

Meralgia paresthetica has been described as a common affliction of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, creating the symptoms of numbness, tingling, and paresthesias in the overlying areas of the lateral and anterior thigh. It is second only to sciatica in peripheral nerve diseases of the lower extremity. We present two patients with classic symptoms of meralgia paresthetica and nonscarring alopecia overlying and demarcating the areas of paresthesias. Meralgia paresthetica should be included in the differential diagnosis of localized alopecia of the anterior or lateral thigh.