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| Latest Updated: 22-06-2010 : Infectious hair disease, Hair regrowth cycles, Common cause of hair loss, Diagnosis of Hair Diseases, Trichorrhexis Nodosa, Loose Anagen Syndrome, Trichotillomania and Traction Alopecia, Other rare hair shaft disorders, Scalp Problems - Scalp Basics, Trichotillomania - Compulsive Hair Pulling |
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Hair Problems and Remedies |
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 Other rare hair shaft disorders
Hair disorders result in the production of defective hair fibers. These disorders damage the outer cuticle layer and may expose the inner cortex to various hair treatments like curling, relaxing, pressing orcoloring. The exposure to these strong hair treatments weakens the overall strength of the hair fiber.
Gradual weakening of the hair fibers is involved in hair shaft defects and hair disorders like pili torti and monilethrix.
Pili Torti
Pili torti(trichokinesis, corkscrew hair) is the general name for rigidly twisted hair. The twisting of the hair fiber occurs at focal points along its length. There may be several twists in one hair fiber.
In this hair shaft disorder the cuticle layer remains intact and is not stripped away as in Trichorrhexis nodosa. But the rigid twisting of the hair fiber through 180 degrees creates stress, which leads to fractures in the cuticle and internal cortex layer of the hair shaft.
Causes
The common cause of pili torti is genetics, and usually develops in early childhood. Genetic pili torti is most frequently found in people with thin, blond hair.
However, occasionally an individual may develop the hair disorder later in life.
The acquired causes of twisted hair fibers are due to damage of the skin from burns or other forms of scarring. Pili torti is sometimes diagnosed in some people who are suffering from anorexia nervosa or taking some drugs, like retinoids.
Effects
Scalp hair is most commonly affected by pili torti. But in extreme cases the hair disorder is seen in eyebrows, eyelashes and other hair growing areas of the body. A single twisted hair cannot be termed as pili torti, but when there are innumerable twisted hair fibers in the scalp or other region of hair only then is the condition called pili torti.
The pili torti hair disorder can be seen in a number of hair dystrophies and is associated with several syndromes such as Menkes kinky hair syndrome or twisting hair dystrophy.
In Menkes kinky hair syndrome apart from the formation of twisted hairs, the hair tends to be lightly pigmented and may demonstrate unusual colors in young people, such as white, silver, or grey. In twisting hair dystrophy there are half and three-quarter twists of the hair at irregular intervals rather than the 180º turns as seen in true pili torti.
Treatment
There are no treatments or professional hair care products for pili torti, but sometimes the condition can improve spontaneously after a period of time.
Monilethrix
Another common hair disorder is monilethrix. Distinctive, regular beaded hairs and hair fragility characterize monilethrix. This hair shaft disorder can occur alone or in association with trichorrhexis nodosa. The affected hairs demonstrate a beaded structure of alternating elliptical nodes and constrictions (internodes). The internodes are prone to severe weathering. The hair tends to fracture between the nodes, where weathering occurs.
Causes
Monilethrix is a genetically inherited disease, though the effects may vary from person to person in a same family. Children and young adults are most affected by Monilethrix, but the severity tends to diminish as the individual grows older. The severity of monilethrix also depends on seasonal changes. It is often worse in winter and sometimes improves in summer.
Apart from the hair disorder, seasonal changes also affect hair loss to some extent.
Effects
The hair beading in monilethrix weakens the fiber which leads to diffusive hair loss. Most frequently the hair loss is at the back of the scalp and neck whereas the front of the head remains relatively unaffected. Monilethrix can also affect other hair growing regions of the body. It can also be associated with defects in the eyes (cataracts), teeth, and nails, as the structure of these organs are of similar properties to that of the hair follicles.
Treatment and professional hair care products
There are no effective treatments or professional hair care products for this severe hair disorder, but hair loss can be camouflaged with a wig. Retinoids and minoxidil may be helpful in some cases. It has been observed that the hair disorder can spontaneously improve with age.
Once a bald area has been made it becomes even more enticing for an individual to pull the hair around it and make the alopecia patch larger. Sometimes the effect of hair pulling is more generalized and looks like diffuse alopecia. Diffuse alopecia tends to affect the whole scalp, rather than specific areas of it.
Trichotillomania is generally a non-scarring, non-inflammatory form of hair loss. But long term repeated plucking over several years may result in scarring alopecia to some hair follicles. Scarring Alopecia manifests itself with the onset of rough patches on the surface of the scalp.
Cause of trichotillomania
The general cause of Trichotillomania may be anxiety disorders or mood problems. The hair pulling disorder is considered as a neurobiological condition This form of hair pulling disorder is not only seen in humans, but also in many other species like mice and cockatoos. Mice under stress will pull out each others hair while unhappy cockatoos may pluck out their own feathers.
Effects of the hair pulling disorder
In this disorder the affected individual is most often unaware of their impulsive habit. In some cases individuals who pluck their hair also eat it which is a condition called “trichophagia”. This is a very dangerous condition that needs to be treated with some urgency. As the hair is not digestable in the stomach, it can build up into a hair ball. This hair ball can severely irritate the stomach leading to ulceration. In some cases the formation of hair ball in the stomach can be life-threatening too.
Treatment
Treatment of trichotillomania is quite difficult and complex. There are 2 approaches for treating trichotillomania. One approach is to visit the psychiatrists and the other is to the dermatologists.
Psychiatrists will naturally focus on the psychology of the patient. He/she will try to find out why the patient might have developed the habit of hair pulling. The psychiatrist may try a therapy treatment to cure the hair pulling disorder particularly when the patient is a child. While in adults they may suggest suitable drugs.
Dermatologists take a more direct approach while treating this hair pulling disorder. Children with trichotillomania may be made to wear gloves. The gloves stop the sensation of touch and this makes it impossible for the child to identify suitable hair for plucking. Sometimes the affected child's hair may be covered with vaseline which makes it difficult to get hold of the hair and also the hair becomes unpleasant to touch. In extreme cases the scalp may be bandaged so that the child can't touch the bald area.
Traction Alopecia
Unlike trichotillomania, traction alopecia treatment is simple if treated in the early ages. An effective treatment is to simply avoid hair styling that puts excessive strain on the hair roots. Even after avoiding the causes of the traction alopecia it may take a period of several months for the hair to recover from this severe hair pulling disorder. Areas of scalp subjected to chronic traction alopecia may never fully recover. Chronic traction alopecia may be sometimes treated by hair transplants.
If the treatments of these severe hair pulling disorders are taken up at an early stage, there is enough probability that the hair will regrow in these areas. The only factor that should be carefully maintained is a strict hair care regimen. So even if you are suffering from these severe hair pulling disorders remain disciplined in your hair care regimen and have patience to watch your hair growing vigorously.
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