Context: Premature canities is a common, yet unexplored disorder. Oxidative stress levels have been evaluated within the greying hair follicle but not in the sera of patients with premature canities. Aims: To evaluate the oxidative stress parameters in the sera of patients with premature canities. Settings and Design: A pilot case-controlled study, conducted in a tertiary care setup in Delhi during November 2011 to December 2012. Materials and Methods: Fifty-two self-reporting cases of premature canities (age of onset <20 years) and 30 healthy controls were recruited from outpatient Department of Dermatology. Oxidative stress parameters (serum malonaldehyde (MDA), whole blood reduced glutathione (rGSH) and serum ferric reducing antioxidant potential [FRAP]) were assessed in cases and controls. Mann–Whitney test was used to compare the oxidative stress parameters between the two groups (SPSS version 17.0, SPSS Inc, Chicago, USA; P < 0.05 considered as significant). Results: The age and sex distribution of cases and controls was comparable. The mean serum levels of MDA were higher in cases than controls (3.7 ± 1.6 nmol/ml vs. 2.8 ± 1.5 nmol/ml; P = 0.01). The GSH levels were lower in the cases than controls (31.5 ± 8.9 mg/dl vs. 36.6 ± 16.9 mg/dl; P = 0.064). Similarly, the mean FRAP levels were lower in the cases than controls (400 ± 70 nmol/ml vs. 430 ± 80 nmol/ml; P = 0.038). Conclusions: Patients with premature canities had a higher level of pro-oxidants and lower levels of antioxidants than controls. This is the first humble attempt to document the oxidative stress parameters in sera of patients with premature canities, further studies with larger sample size are required to reach a definite conclusion.

Context: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a frequent disorder characterized by progressive hair miniaturization in a very similar pattern among all affected men. The pathogenesis is related to androgen-inducible overexpression of transforming growth factor β-1 from balding dermal papilla cells, which is involved in epithelial inhibition and perifollicular fibrosis. Recent research shows that hair follicle androgen sensitivity is regulated by Hic-5, an androgen receptor co-activator which may be activated by the mechanical stimulation. Moreover, the dermis of scalp susceptible to be affected by AGA is firmly bounded to the galea aponeurotica, so the physical force exerted by the occipitofrontalis muscle is transmitted to the scalp skin.Aims: To know whether mechanical stress supported by hair follicles is involved in AGA phenomenon.Materials and Methods: It is performed with a finite element analysis of a galea model and a schematic representation of AGA progression according to Hamilton–Norwood scale in order to establish the correlation between elastic deformation in scalp and clinical progression of male pattern baldness.Results: The result was a highly significant correlation (r: −0.885, P < 0.001) that clearly identifies a mechanical factor in AGA development.Conclusions: All these data suggest that mechanical stress determines AGA patterning and a stretch-induced and androgen-mediated mechanotransduction in dermal papilla cells could be the primary mechanism in AGA pathogenesis.

Introduction: Hair loss is a common and distressing problem that can affect both males and females of all ages. Chronic telogen effluvium (CTE) is idiopathic diffuse scalp hair shedding of at least 6 months duration. Hair loss can be one of the symptoms of metal toxicity. Lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) are highly toxic metals that can cause acute and chronic health problems in human. The aim of the present study is to determine if there is a relationship between these metals and CTE in women and if CTE is also associated with changes in zinc (Zn) or iron (Fe) blood levels. Materials and Methods: Pb, Cd, Fe and Zn total blood levels were determined in 40 female patients fulfilling the criteria of CTH and compared with total blood levels of same elements in 30 well-matched healthy women. Results: Quantitative analysis of total blood Fe, Zn, Pb and Cd revealed that there were no significant differences between patients and controls regarding Fe, Zn, and Pb. Yet, Cd level was significantly higher in patients than controls. In addition, Cd level showed significant positive correlation with the patient's body weight. Conclusion: Estimation of blood Pb and Cd levels can be important in cases of CTE as Cd toxicity can be the underlying hidden cause of such idiopathic condition.

Background: The primary cicatricial alopecias (PCAs) are a rare group of diseases where hair follicle is the primary target of destruction. There are a few studies on histopathological and trichoscopic features of PCA. Aims: To study the clinical, trichoscopic, and histopathological characteristics of PCAs of the scalp and to find out the concordance between trichoscopic and histopathological diagnosis. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical, trichoscopic, and histopathological features of 24 PCA patients. Fisher's Chi-square exact test was done to find the significant trichoscopic and histopathological features. Cohen's kappa coefficient was used to determine the agreement between histopathological and trichoscopic diagnosis. Results: A total of 24 patients of PCA were seen with a male: female ratio of 2:1. There were 10 (41.7%) patients of discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), 5 (20.8%) of lichen planopilaris (LPP), 3 (12.5%) of dissecting cellulitis of scalp, and 2 (8.3%) each of pseudopelade of brocq, folliculitis decalvans, and frontal fibrosing alopecia. The important histopathological findings of DLE were follicular plugging, vacuolar changes in the basal layer, necrotic keratinocytes, and superficial and deep perifollicular and perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate. Histopathology of LPP showed vacuolar changes in the basal layer and lichenoid infiltrate involving the infundibulum and isthmus. Trichoscopy of DLE showed follicular plugging, yellow dots, and thick arborizing blood vessels. The peripilar cast was important finding in LPP. The characteristic yellow dot with three-dimensional structure was noted in dissecting cellulitis of the scalp. The Cohen's kappa agreement was 0.89 between histopathological and trichoscopic diagnosis. Conclusion: The diagnosis of PCA is challenging because of overlapping features clinically and histopathologically. Trichoscopy may provide quick and reliable diagnosis and obviate the necessity of scalp biopsy in busy clinics.

Aim: Many psychiatric disorders, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), disruptive behavioral disorders, autism spectrum disorders, and some psychiatric characteristics, such as poor empathizing, are regarded to be related to elevated levels of androgens or androgen sensitivity. Thus, numerous studies have investigated the potential association between androgen-related physical diseases and these psychiatric conditions. Idiopathic hirsutism (IH) is a disease characterized by an increased sensitivity of the pilosebaceous unit to circulating androgens in women. The purpose of this study was to examine whether IH has a relationship with androgen-related psychiatric conditions. Materials and Methods: Totally 37 females with IH and 33 healthy female controls were included in this study. Childhood and present ADHD symptoms of the participants were assessed using the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS) and the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, respectively. The Autism-spectrum quotient and the interpersonal reactivity index were used to assess autistic traits and different aspects of empathy. Hirsutism severity was measured using the Ferriman–Gallwey scoring system. Results: No significant difference was found between the patients and controls on psychiatric questionnaire scores, except for a trend for subjects with IH to show higher levels of the school-associated problems than controls according to WURS. The severity of hirsutism was strongly correlated with the WURS irritability and behavioral problems/impulsivity subscores and WURS total score, and moderately correlated with the WURS attentional deficit subscore. Conclusions: This study provides preliminary evidence that common etiological factors may be involved in both the severity of IH, ADHD, and coexisting disruptive behavioral problems.

Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) and fibrosing alopecia in a pattern distribution (FAPD) represent clinically distinctive conditions characterized by pattern hair loss with evidence of follicular inflammation and fibrosis. Since Kossard's original description, the condition has been recognized to represent a rather generalized than localized process, with extension well beyond the frontotemporal hairline. More recently, peculiar facial papules have been reported in FFA representing facial vellus hair involvement. We report the case of a 42-year-old woman with FAPD associated with the same facial papules, supporting that both entities belong to the same spectrum of cicatricial pattern hair loss.

We report a case of woolly hair nevus with pigmentary demarcation lines and heterochromia iridis. Woolly hair nevus is a rare abnormality of the scalp hair characterized by the patch of hair, which is curlier and light colored than the rest of the scalp hair. Association of woolly hair nevus with some other ectodermal defects effecting skin and eyes has been reported before. Here, woolly hair nevus associated with demarcation lines and heterochromia iridis, to our knowledge, have not been previously reported.

Keratosis follicularis spinulosa decalvans is a disorder affecting the hair follicles characterized by scarring alopecia of the scalp, eyebrows, and axillae, sometimes associated with photophobia and keratoderma. Being X-linked, it is more commonly seen in males but can be rarely seen in females also. We report three cases of this rare disorder including one in a female.

Hirsutism is usually a manifestation of hyperandrogenism, and iatrogenic causes for excess hair growth are uncommon. Here, we report on a 48-year-old female patient, who developed severe excess facial hair following treatment with isotretinoin for papulopustular rosacea. To the best of our knowledge, only one case has been reported before, and not in the dermatology literature. Taking into consideration the fact that isotretinoin is a widely prescribed medication in the dermatology practice, information on its possible adverse effects is of major importance for the treating dermatologist.

Woolly hair nevus is a rare disease whose diagnosis is challenging. We present a case of this condition presenting in a 27-year-old healthy male. We describe a histology pattern consisting in the presence of several terminal hair follicles ending in the same dilated follicular infundibulum, a perifollicular lymphocytic infiltrate and an excessive amount of normal apocrine glands in deep reticular dermis, some findings non-previously reported. Clinicopathological correlation is very important for making a correct diagnosis.

Silvery hair is a common feature of Chediak-Higashi syndrome (CHS), Griscelli syndrome, and Elejalde syndrome. CHS is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by partial oculocutaneous albinism, frequent pyogenic infections, and the presence of abnormal large granules in leukocytes and other granule containing cells. A 6-year-old girl had recurrent respiratory infections, speckled hypo- and hyper-pigmentation over exposed areas, and silvery hair since early childhood. Clinical features, laboratory investigations, hair microscopy, and skin biopsy findings were consistent with CHS. Her younger sisters aged 4 and 2 years had similar clinical, peripheral blood picture, and hair microscopy findings consistent with CHS. This case is reported for its rare occurrence in all the three siblings of the family, prominent pigmentary changes, and absent accelerated phase till date. Awareness, early recognition, and management of the condition may prevent the preterm morbidity associated.