U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Format

Send to:

Choose Destination

Woolly scalp hair

MedGen UID:
863640
•Concept ID:
C4015203
•
Finding
Synonyms: Afro-textured scalp hair; Kinky scalp hair texture; Nappy scalp hair texture; Wooly scalp hair
 
HPO: HP:0040149

Definition

The presence of wooly hair on the scalp. The term wooly hair refers to an abnormal variant of hair that is fine, with tightly coiled curls, and often hypopigmented. Optical microscopy may reveal the presence of tight spirals and a clear diameter reduction as compared with normal hair. Electron microscopy may show flat, oval hair shafts with reduced transversal diameter. [from HPO]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVWoolly scalp hair

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Autosomal-dominant hypotrichosis with woolly hair: Novel gene locus on chromosome 4q35.1-q35.2.
Schlaweck AE, Tazi-Ahnini R, Ü Basmanav FB, Mohungoo J, Pasternack-Ziach SM, Mattheisen M, Oprisoreanu AM, Humbatova A, Wolf S, Messenger A, Betz RC
PLoS One 2019;14(12):e0225943. Epub 2019 Dec 2 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225943. PMID: 31790498Free PMC Article
Clinical spectrum of woolly hair: indications for cerebral involvement.
Pavone P, Falsaperla R, Barbagallo M, Polizzi A, Praticò AD, Ruggieri M
Ital J Pediatr 2017 Nov 2;43(1):99. doi: 10.1186/s13052-017-0417-1. PMID: 29096685Free PMC Article
Genetics of human isolated hereditary hair loss disorders.
Basit S, Khan S, Ahmad W
Clin Genet 2015 Sep;88(3):203-12. Epub 2014 Nov 22 doi: 10.1111/cge.12531. PMID: 25350920
Acquired partial curly hair.
Ferrando J, Grimalt R
Eur J Dermatol 1999 Oct-Nov;9(7):544-7. PMID: 10523733
Unruly hair.
Mortimer PS
Br J Dermatol 1985 Oct;113(4):467-73. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1985.tb02362.x. PMID: 4063181

Diagnosis

Woolly hair nevus caused by somatic mutation and Costello syndrome caused by germline mutation in HRAS: Consider parental mosaicism in prenatal counseling.
Liang J, Guo Y, Lu Z, Yu H, Wu L, Yao Z
J Dermatol 2022 Jan;49(1):161-164. Epub 2021 Oct 2 doi: 10.1111/1346-8138.16177. PMID: 34601768
Autosomal-dominant hypotrichosis with woolly hair: Novel gene locus on chromosome 4q35.1-q35.2.
Schlaweck AE, Tazi-Ahnini R, Ü Basmanav FB, Mohungoo J, Pasternack-Ziach SM, Mattheisen M, Oprisoreanu AM, Humbatova A, Wolf S, Messenger A, Betz RC
PLoS One 2019;14(12):e0225943. Epub 2019 Dec 2 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225943. PMID: 31790498Free PMC Article
Clinical spectrum of woolly hair: indications for cerebral involvement.
Pavone P, Falsaperla R, Barbagallo M, Polizzi A, Praticò AD, Ruggieri M
Ital J Pediatr 2017 Nov 2;43(1):99. doi: 10.1186/s13052-017-0417-1. PMID: 29096685Free PMC Article
Genetics of human isolated hereditary hair loss disorders.
Basit S, Khan S, Ahmad W
Clin Genet 2015 Sep;88(3):203-12. Epub 2014 Nov 22 doi: 10.1111/cge.12531. PMID: 25350920
Unruly hair.
Mortimer PS
Br J Dermatol 1985 Oct;113(4):467-73. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1985.tb02362.x. PMID: 4063181

Therapy

Association of Topical Minoxidil With Autosomal Recessive Woolly Hair/Hypotrichosis Caused by LIPH Pathogenic Variants.
Taki T, Tanahashi K, Takeichi T, Yoshikawa T, Murase Y, Sugiura K, Akiyama M
JAMA Dermatol 2020 Oct 1;156(10):1030-1032. doi: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2020.2195. PMID: 32667621Free PMC Article
Unruly hair.
Mortimer PS
Br J Dermatol 1985 Oct;113(4):467-73. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1985.tb02362.x. PMID: 4063181

Prognosis

Clinical spectrum of woolly hair: indications for cerebral involvement.
Pavone P, Falsaperla R, Barbagallo M, Polizzi A, Praticò AD, Ruggieri M
Ital J Pediatr 2017 Nov 2;43(1):99. doi: 10.1186/s13052-017-0417-1. PMID: 29096685Free PMC Article
Prevalent founder mutation c.736T>A of LIPH in autosomal recessive woolly hair of Japanese leads to variable severity of hypotrichosis in adulthood.
Tanahashi K, Sugiura K, Takeichi T, Takama H, Shinkuma S, Shimizu H, Akiyama M
J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2013 Sep;27(9):1182-4. Epub 2012 Mar 26 doi: 10.1111/j.1468-3083.2012.04526.x. PMID: 22449147
Acquired partial curly hair.
Ferrando J, Grimalt R
Eur J Dermatol 1999 Oct-Nov;9(7):544-7. PMID: 10523733

Clinical prediction guides

Woolly hair nevus caused by somatic mutation and Costello syndrome caused by germline mutation in HRAS: Consider parental mosaicism in prenatal counseling.
Liang J, Guo Y, Lu Z, Yu H, Wu L, Yao Z
J Dermatol 2022 Jan;49(1):161-164. Epub 2021 Oct 2 doi: 10.1111/1346-8138.16177. PMID: 34601768
Autosomal-dominant hypotrichosis with woolly hair: Novel gene locus on chromosome 4q35.1-q35.2.
Schlaweck AE, Tazi-Ahnini R, Ü Basmanav FB, Mohungoo J, Pasternack-Ziach SM, Mattheisen M, Oprisoreanu AM, Humbatova A, Wolf S, Messenger A, Betz RC
PLoS One 2019;14(12):e0225943. Epub 2019 Dec 2 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225943. PMID: 31790498Free PMC Article
Biallelic mutations in the LPAR6 gene causing autosomal recessive wooly hair/hypotrichosis phenotype in five Pakistani families.
Khan GM, Hassan N, Khan N, Humayun M, Khan K, Khaliq S, Rehman FU, Ahmed S, Shah K, Khan SA, Muhammad N, Wali A, Khan S, Basit S, Ayub M
Int J Dermatol 2019 Aug;58(8):946-952. Epub 2019 May 11 doi: 10.1111/ijd.14480. PMID: 31077348
Novel mutations in G protein-coupled receptor gene (P2RY5) in families with autosomal recessive hypotrichosis (LAH3).
Azeem Z, Jelani M, Naz G, Tariq M, Wasif N, Kamran-Ul-Hassan Naqvi S, Ayub M, Yasinzai M, Amin-Ud-Din M, Wali A, Ali G, Chishti MS, Ahmad W
Hum Genet 2008 Jun;123(5):515-9. Epub 2008 May 7 doi: 10.1007/s00439-008-0507-7. PMID: 18461368

Supplemental Content

Table of contents

    Clinical resources

    Consumer resources

    Reviews

    Recent activity

    Clear Turn Off Turn On

    Your browsing activity is empty.

    Activity recording is turned off.

    Turn recording back on

    See more...