Hair root studies in patients suffering from primary and secondary syphilis

In a study conducted 37 years ago, researchers examined the hair root status (trichogram) of 19 patients with syphilis, including 11 with primary and 8 with secondary syphilis. They observed a decrease in the number of anagen (active growth phase) hair roots and an increase in the number of catagen (transitional phase) hair roots, as well as an increase in dysplastic/dystrophic roots and anagen hair roots with sheaths and angulations exceeding 20 degrees in both groups. No significant differences were found between the hair root abnormalities in patients with primary versus secondary syphilis. The study did not determine whether these hair root abnormalities were specific to syphilis.