How is monilethrix treated?
While there is no recognized definitive treatment for monilethrix, oral acitretin and topical 2% minoxidil have shown good clinical and cosmetic results with continued use.
What is the cause of monilethrix in hair?
Monilethrix is caused by mutations in one of several genes. Mutations in the KRT81 gene, the KRT83 gene, the KRT86 gene, or the DSG4 gene account for most cases of monilethrix. These genes provide instructions for making proteins that give structure and strength to strands of hair.
What are the symptoms of monilethrix?
Monilethrix is a rare inherited disorder characterized by sparse, dry, and/or brittle hair that often breaks before reaching more than a few inches in length. The hair may lack luster, and there may be patchy areas of hair loss (alopecia).
How common is monilethrix?
What is monilethrix? Monilethrix is a rare condition caused by a defect in the hair shaft resulting in hair which appears dry, dull, and brittle, and which breaks spontaneously or with mild trauma. The age of onset, severity, and course may vary from person to person.
Is beaded hair a disease?
Monilethrix (also referred to as beaded hair) is a rare autosomal dominant hair disease that results in short, fragile, broken hair that appears beaded. It comes from the Latin word for necklace (monile) and the Greek word for hair (thrix).
How do you treat beaded hair?
The most common treatment recommendations often include avoiding cosmetic damage such as exposure to sunlight, hair dye and heat styling. There has been some success with pharmaceutical treatment however, including use of retinoids2 and minoxidil3.
Where does beaded hair come from?
They were vestiges of West African tradition, according to the academic article, “Blue Beads As African American Cultural Symbols.” “The enslaved were just as interested in keeping up with new styles as we are today. This was evident in posters of runaway slaves and how they would describe their hair.
What causes hair to bead?
This very distinct shape is caused by the diameter of the hair shaft changing throughout the length of the hair. In many cases this is a result of an individual unable to produce proper keratin, the structural protein necessary for forming hair, skin and nails.
Is beaded hair hereditary?
Despite this there are countless reasons for hair loss including congenital disorders. Monilethrix, or beaded hair, is an inherited condition whereby strands of hair take on the appearance of beads on a necklace when viewed under a microscope1.
What causes beaded hair?
Is beaded hair rare?
Beaded hair (60x magnification). Monilethrix (also referred to as beaded hair) is a rare autosomal dominant hair disease that results in short, fragile, broken hair that appears beaded. It comes from the Latin word for necklace (monile) and the Greek word for hair (thrix).
What are the treatment options for monilethrix?
Topical minoxidil 2% may be a good therapeutic option to treat monilethrix, [ 32] although its use in children may require enhanced monitoring. [ 33] Oral minoxidil treatment is another option.
Does monilethrix go away on its own?
Some patients have reported spontaneous improvement, particularly during puberty and pregnancy, but the condition rarely disappears completely. While there is no recognized definitive treatment for monilethrix, oral acitretin and topical 2% minoxidil have shown good clinical and cosmetic results with continued use.
What is monilethrix?
The term monilethrix is derived from the Latin word monile, which means necklace, and the Greek word thrix, which means hair. This term describes the resemblance of the hair to a string of beads or a necklace. [2] Do you have updated information on this disease? We want to hear from you. The cause of monilethrix remains unclear.
Does acitretin work for monilethrix?
While there is no recognized definitive treatment for monilethrix, oral acitretin and topical 2% minoxidil have shown good clinical and cosmetic results with continued use 10).