Light Microscopic Hair Abnormalities in Children: Retrospective Review of 119 Cases in a 10-Year Period

In the retrospective review of 119 pediatric cases over a 10-year period, 63 (53%) patients showed morphologic changes in hair samples under light microscopy. Of these, 37 (31%) were diagnosed with specific genetic hair conditions: 25 with loose anagen hair syndrome, 6 with uncombable hair syndrome, 2 with Netherton syndrome, 3 with Menkes syndrome, and 1 with trichothiodystrophy. The rest had nonspecific or nondiagnostic changes such as trichorrhexis nodosa, presence of loose anagen hairs, and pili torti. The study demonstrated the utility of light microscopic hair examination as a noninvasive diagnostic tool for identifying various pediatric hair disorders.