Not Always 'Straight Ahead' – A Surprising Cause of Acute Kidney Injury

December 2022 in “ European journal of internal medicine ”

Meidad Greenberg, Alon Bnaya, Keren Cohen-Hagai

hair straightening treatment scalp erosions local alopecia glycolic acid acute oxalate nephropathy psoriasis hair straightening hair loss skin condition

TLDR Hair straightening treatments can cause serious kidney damage, especially if you have skin issues.

A 16-year-old girl developed acute kidney injury (AKI) following a hair straightening treatment, presenting with vomiting, abdominal pain, and scalp erosions with local alopecia. Laboratory tests revealed elevated creatinine levels, and a kidney biopsy showed calcium oxalate crystals. The diagnosis was acute oxalate nephropathy, likely due to systemic absorption of glycolic acid from the hair straightening agent, exacerbated by her untreated psoriasis. After hemodialysis, her kidney function gradually returned to normal. This case highlights the potential nephrotoxic risk of hair straightening agents, especially in individuals with compromised skin integrity.

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Not Always 'Straight Ahead' – A Surprising Cause of Acute Kidney Injury

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