TLDR A 12-year-old girl was diagnosed with monilethrix, a genetic condition causing fragile, beaded hair that breaks easily, with no effective treatment available.
A 12-year-old girl presented with a 2-year history of progressive hair loss on the scalp and partial loss of eyebrows, leading to a diagnosis of monilethrix, an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by beaded hair shafts. Dermoscopy revealed the characteristic elliptical nodes and constrictions of monilethrix hair shafts, with broken hair shafts at internode levels. The condition, caused by mutations in hair keratins hHb6 and hHb1, results in dull, fragile hair that breaks easily. Severity varies, and in this case, the disease was mild and unnoticed until adolescence. The patient's parents were advised to avoid scalp hair trauma and informed that the condition might improve with age, although no effective treatment was available at the time of the report.
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January 2010 in “International journal of trichology” Trichoscopy can diagnose monilethrix, a genetic hair defect causing hair thinning and loss.
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August 1994 in “Archives of dermatology” A 19-month-old boy with a rare hair disorder showed mild improvement with treatment, but his family chose gentle hair care due to limited success.
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August 2015 in “Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia” Black women's unique hair characteristics and styling practices can lead to specific scalp conditions, which require early diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
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August 2012 in “The Journal of Pediatrics” A 12-year-old girl was diagnosed with monilethrix, a genetic condition causing fragile, beaded hair that breaks easily, with no effective treatment available.
