Unruly Hair
October 1985
in “
British Journal of Dermatology
”
TLDR The document concludes that unruly hair can be congenital or acquired, often lacks specific treatments, and can be managed with oils and short hairstyles.
In 1985, P.S. Mortimer's document provided a classification system for various types of unruly hair, which are often challenging for dermatologists to diagnose. The classification covered congenital forms, some associated with hair shaft abnormalities and others without, as well as acquired forms such as acquired progressive kinking, whisker hair, and drug-induced kinking. Congenital forms could be linked to conditions like microcephaly and Down's syndrome and might show increased hair fragility or not, as in the cases of pili torti, woolly hair, and cheveux incoiffables. Acquired forms could appear during adolescence or adulthood and potentially lead to androgenic alopecia. The document indicated that most of these disorders lack specific treatments, but management could include the use of oils and short hairstyles. Dr. R.P.R. Dawber was acknowledged for assistance in the document's preparation.
