Acquired Pili Torti: A Structural Hair Shaft Defect in Anorexia Nervosa

The study examined the hair of 17 girls aged 13 to 19 years with anorexia nervosa (AN) and compared it with the hair of 15 healthy girls aged 13 to 18 years. Light microscopic examination revealed that 82.3% of the AN group had pili torti, a structural hair shaft defect, while no defects were found in the control group. The researchers suggested that the hair defect in the AN group was due to malnutrition combined with high intake of yellow vegetables and vitamin supplements, leading to elevated levels of serum carotene, retinyl esters, retinol, and retinoic acid. They proposed a possible link between excess vitamin A and the development of pili torti in patients with AN.