Hair Changes Due to Zinc Deficiency in a Case of Sucrose Malabsorption

A 7-year-old girl with chronic diarrhea due to sucrase deficiency experienced poor hair growth, with her scalp hair appearing colorless and thinned, particularly in the occipital region. She had low plasma zinc levels but normal plasma albumin. After receiving oral zinc therapy at 40 mg daily, her scalp hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes became thicker and pigmented, and her plasma zinc and serum alkaline phosphatase levels increased. Microscopic examination of her hair before treatment showed abnormalities such as variation in diameter, narrowing, and striation, which were absent in the hair that grew after zinc supplementation.