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Loose anagen hair syndrome in children of Upper Egypt
Author(s) -
AbdelRaouf Hamza,
ElDin Wael Hosam,
Awad Sherif S,
Esmat Ashraf,
AlKhiat Mohammad,
AbdelWahab Hosam,
Fakahani Hasan,
AlDomyati Moetaz,
ElDin Anber Tag,
ElTonsy Mohammad Hany
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of cosmetic dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.626
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1473-2165
pISSN - 1473-2130
DOI - 10.1111/j.1473-2165.2009.00434.x
Subject(s) - hair shaft , cuticle (hair) , hair disease , groove (engineering) , anatomy , medicine , scanning electron microscope , dermatology , hair follicle , materials science , physics , optics , metallurgy
Summary Background Loose anagen hair (LAH) syndrome is a phenomenon in early childhood characterized by the presence of easily pluckable hair, where hair tufts can be pulled out easily and painlessly. Aims All reports in the English literature described mainly white patients with blond hair. We present the first report of LAH syndrome in dark‐skinned children of Upper Egypt. Patients and methods Twenty‐eight children with LAH were diagnosed and examined from 1996 to 2007. The main complaints were patchy or diffuse alopecia and/or slow growth of hair. Clinical examination, hair pull test, trichogram, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed. Results Children with LAH included 21 girls (75%) and seven boys (25%). Light microscopy of hair pull tests and trichograms disclosed a striking predominance of anagen hairs (90–100%) with misshapen hair bulbs and absent inner and outer root sheaths. SEM confirmed the misshapen anagen bulbs with ruffled appearance of cuticle and the longitudinal groove parallel to the long axis of the hair shaft. Most children improved spontaneously within few years, however, hair shed continued. Conclusion LAH syndrome occurs in dark‐skinned children and could be under‐diagnosed. The condition is of cosmetic concern and does not affect the general health.