Diagnostic Challenge: Loose Anagen Hair Syndrome
April 2016
in “
Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology
”
TLDR The study concludes that Loose Anagen Hair Syndrome is a benign condition that usually improves with age but can be hard to diagnose and stressful for the family.
The document presents a case study of Loose Anagen Hair Syndrome (LAHS) in a 2-year-old female patient who exhibited symptoms of poor hair growth, alopecia in certain areas, and strands of hair of heterogeneous sizes. The patient's hair was easily and painlessly extracted during a pull test, and a scalp biopsy showed hair follicles in the anagen phase without signs of inflammation. After 5 months of conservative treatment, the patient showed improvement with no alopecia in the occipital and vertex regions and smoother, more homogeneous hair. LAHS is characterized by sparse growth of thin, fine hair and diffuse or irregular alopecia, with the occipital region often being the most affected due to repeated friction. Diagnosis involves clinical evaluation, pull test, trichogram, indirect immunofluorescence, electron microscopy, and biopsy, with treatment options ranging from conservative to the use of minoxidil in severe cases. The study concludes that LAHS, while benign and typically resolving with age, can be challenging to diagnose and cause emotional stress for the patient's family.
