Monilethrix

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Monilethrix
Synonyms Moniliform hair syndrome
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Monilethrix (also referred to as beaded hair)[1] is a rare autosomal dominant hair disease that results in short, fragile, broken hair that appears beaded.[2][3] It comes from the Latin word for necklace (monile) and the Greek word for hair (thrix).[4]

Presentation[edit | edit source]

The presentation may be of alopecia (baldness). Individuals vary in severity of symptoms. Nail deformities may also be present as well as hair follicle keratosis and follicular hyperkeratosis.

Cause[edit | edit source]

Monilethrix has an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance.

Monilethrix is caused by mutations affecting the genes KRTHB1 (KRT81), KRTHB3 (KRT83), or KRTHB6 (KRT86) which code for type II hair cortex keratins.[5] The disorder is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner.[2] This means that the defective gene(s) responsible for the disorder is located on an autosome, and only one copy of the gene is sufficient to cause the disorder, when inherited from a parent who has the disorder.

Diagnosis[edit | edit source]

Monilethrix may be diagnosed with trichoscopy.[6][7]

Management[edit | edit source]

  • Unfortunately, the is no cure for monilethrix.
  • 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.
  • The systemic administration of vitamins, retinoids, griseofulvin, oral contraceptives, steroids, radiation therapy, external desquamative ointments, and steroid preparations have not show impressive results.
  • Avoiding trauma is perhaps the most effective method of managing monilethrix.
  • This is because from birth, the hair of individuals with monilethrix tends to have an increased susceptibility to weathering and cosmetic damage (e.g., sunlight exposure, dyeing, bleaching, perming, curling).
  • This susceptibility to damage can prevent hair from growing to its maximum length.

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. , Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology (10th ed.), Saunders, 2005, ISBN 978-0-7216-2921-6,
  2. 2.0 2.1 , Pitfalls of mapping a large Turkish consanguineous family with vertical monilethrix inheritance, Genetic Counseling (Geneva, Switzerland), 2009, Vol. 20(Issue: 1), pp. 1–8, PMID: 19400537,
  3. {{{last}}}, Freedberg, Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine (6th ed.), McGraw-Hill, 2003, ISBN 978-0-07-138076-8,
  4. Monilethrix Full text, Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, , NIH Office of Rare Diseases Research, 2008-09-09,
  5. Schweizer J, More than one gene involved in monilethrix: intracellular but also extracellular players, J. Invest. Dermatol., 2006, Vol. 126(Issue: 6), pp. 1216–9, DOI: 10.1038/sj.jid.5700266, PMID: 16702971,
  6. , Trichoscopy: a new method for diagnosing hair loss, J Drugs Dermatol, 2008, Vol. 7(Issue: 7), pp. 651–654, PMID: 18664157,
  7. , Trichoscopy in genetic hair shaft abnormalities, J Dermatol Case Rep, 2008, Vol. 2(Issue: 2), pp. 14–20, DOI: 10.3315/jdcr.2008.1009, PMID: 21886705, PMC: 3157768,

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