Studies on Monilethrix

Monilethrix was a hair disorder characterized by fragile, beaded hair and baldness. In a study of four children, it was observed that there was no regular pattern in the formation of nodes and internodes in their hair. Light microscopy suggested that periodic inhibition of keratin synthesis might have caused the hair constrictions. Scanning electron microscopy revealed longitudinal ridging and surface irregularities in the hair. The study also found that urine chromatography for argininosuccinic acid did not support the theory that monilethrix was a metabolic defect.