Crohn's Ileocolitis Presenting as Chronic Diffuse Hair Loss

In 1989, a study described a 21-year-old female with Crohn's ileocolitis who presented with chronic diffuse hair loss as the initial symptom, six years before the gastrointestinal symptoms of Crohn's disease appeared. Despite extensive dermatological evaluations, no skin-related cause for the hair loss was identified. The patient, who also had anemia for four years, was eventually diagnosed with Crohn's disease through diagnostic imaging and biopsy. Treatment with sulphasalazine and ferrous sulphate improved her symptoms, including hair loss, and after 20 months, she experienced no further hair loss. The study highlighted that Crohn's disease can manifest with extra-intestinal symptoms like hair loss, potentially due to nutritional deficiencies or autoimmune processes, and these symptoms can precede the more common gastrointestinal symptoms.