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Quantitative Assessment of Scanning Electron Microscope Defects in Uncombable‐Hair Syndrome
Author(s) -
Rest Ellen B.,
Fretzin David F.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
pediatric dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.542
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1525-1470
pISSN - 0736-8046
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1470.1990.tb00661.x
Subject(s) - scalp , scanning electron microscope , hair shaft , medicine , hair disease , electron microscope , dermatology , pathology , anatomy , hair follicle , materials science , optics , composite material , physics
Uncombable‐hair syndrome is a rare disorder of scalp hair that starts early in childhood. It is characterized clinically as unruly hair and by scanning electron microscopy as longitudinally grooved hairs with a triangular cross section. Because of the controversy of inheritance and prior reports of similar changes in normal and other hair disorders, we performed a quantitative scanning electron microscopic assessment of four patients with uncombable‐hair syndrome, first‐degree relatives, and nonaffected controls. Our results indicate that longitudinal grooving of scalp hair is a common occurrence, and that for clinical changes to be apparent, approximately 50% of hairs must be affected.