Acquired Progressive Kinking of Hair Affecting the Scalp and Eyelashes in an Adult Woman

The document reports a rare case of acquired progressive kinking of hair (APKH) in a 52-year-old woman, presenting with localized scalp hair curling and slow hair growth over a 6-month period, without any medication or underlying health issues. The kinking began several centimeters from the scalp, with no reduction in hair density, and was accompanied by increased curling and subsequent sparseness of the eyelashes, a feature not previously reported. Histological examination of a scalp biopsy showed no significant abnormalities, but scanning electron microscopy revealed flattened sections reminiscent of pili canaliculi. The paper discusses APKH as a rare condition with unknown etiology, which may be associated with androgenetic alopecia and can be drug-induced or occur spontaneously. It is typically found in the frontal, temporal, and vertex areas of the scalp and may resolve on its own in children and young adults. The paper concludes that in the absence of a definable cause such as medication, evidence of patterned hair loss should be considered, but the features may also appear without any known reason.