Hair: More Than Just an Appendage

The case report discusses a 4-year-old boy and his father who both presented with features of hereditary hypotrichosis simplex (HHS), a rare autosomal dominantly inherited disorder characterized by sparse scalp hair without other ectodermal or systemic abnormalities. The child had normal hair density at birth but experienced gradual thinning since 6 months of age. Various tests, including blood work and trichoscopy, showed normal results except for sparse hair with varying diameters. A diagnosis of HHS was made based on these findings. Treatment with 0.1% fluocinolone acetonide acetate ointment was initiated, as it had shown improvement in a similar case, but the outcome for this patient was unknown due to loss of follow-up. The report emphasizes the importance of hair as a phenotypic marker for diagnosing underlying conditions and the challenge of diagnosing genotrichosis due to phenotypic variability.