Polarization Microscopy of Hair in Acrodermatitis Enteropathica

Researchers examined the hair of a 10-month-old girl with acrodermatitis enteropathica using light and polarizing microscopy before and after zinc therapy. Initially, the hair was thin, brittle, and showed uneven diameters, with 10% exhibiting nodal swellings and 70% displaying irregular band patterns. After 1.5 years of zinc therapy, anomalies persisted in 10% of hair shafts but were undetectable after 2 years. Despite low cystine content in hair samples, the levels remained within the normal range. The changes observed were attributed to zinc deficiency.