Trichorrhexis Nodosa: Study on Hair Involvement and Trauma
November 1966
in “
Archives of Dermatology
”
TLDR Trichorrhexis nodosa is mainly caused by hair trauma and improves with gentler hair care.
The study on trichorrhexis nodosa (TN) involved 49 patients, with 26 experiencing scalp hair involvement, and 20 of these cases linked to excessive hair trauma. Additionally, 23 patients had TN in genito-inguinocrural or multiple sites, all experiencing pruritus. The condition often improved with less traumatic hair care or pruritus control. Urine chromatography and hair analysis did not support a metabolic defect theory for TN. The findings highlighted trauma as a key factor, as TN was reproduced in vitro through mechanical stress, indicating that hair fracturing in TN was a common cause of unexplained hair loss.