Unusual Hair Growth Conditions: Root Causes, Distinctive Symptoms, and Classifications
Acquired hypertrichosis, often referred to as 'werewolf syndrome', is a rare condition that triggers excessive hair growth anywhere on a person's body. This condition, which can develop later in life, has a variety of potential causes, making it essential to understand the underlying factors for effective management and treatment.
The common causes of acquired hypertrichosis include hormonal imbalances, medications, malignancies, and systemic diseases. Hormonal changes during puberty, pregnancy, or menopause can stimulate excessive hair growth. Certain medications, such as corticosteroids, antibiotics, immunosuppressants, anticonvulsants, androgenic steroids, and minoxidil, have been reported to cause hypertrichosis.
Certain cancers and related cell mutations can induce localized or generalized hypertrichosis. Porphyria cutanea tarda, a rare disorder involving painful skin lesions and photosensitivity, is associated with hypertrichosis. Autoimmune diseases such as dermatomyositis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can be linked to hypertrichosis, as can HIV/AIDS infection, acromegaly, juvenile hypothyroidism, and POEMS syndrome.
Other causes of acquired hypertrichosis include malnutrition or eating disorders, improper application of plaster casts, scratching from chronic skin conditions, and increased vascularity.
Hypertrichosis can result in three different types of hair: lanugo, vellus, and terminal. Lanugo hair is long, thin, and very soft, similar to the hair on a newborn baby. Vellus hair is short, light-coloured, and fine, while terminal hair is the darkest of the three types, is usually thick, coarse, and long, and is often associated with hormones.
In some cases of congenital hypertrichosis, the fine lanugo hairs do not fade away after birth but continue to grow excessively throughout the person's life. Congenital hypertrichosis may run in families and is caused by genes that stimulate hair growth becoming abnormally active.
Managing the symptoms or treating the underlying cause is the only necessary and readily available treatment for hypertrichosis. Short-term methods of hair removal for hypertrichosis include shaving, plucking, waxing, bleaching, and chemical epilation, but these methods only temporarily minimize the appearance of hair and can irritate the skin. Electrolysis or laser treatment can be used as long-term solutions for hypertrichosis, with electrolysis destroying individual hair follicles using electrical charges and laser epilation using laser light to achieve permanent hair loss in some cases.
For anyone with a family history of hypertrichosis, it may be wise to speak to a doctor, as there may be a genetic component to some forms of the condition.
[1] Mayo Clinic. (2021). Hypertrichosis. [online] Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypertrichosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20355093 [2] MedlinePlus. (2021). Hypertrichosis. [online] Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000769.htm [3] National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). (2021). Hypertrichosis. [online] Available at: https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/hypertrichosis/ [4] NHS. (2021). Hypertrichosis. [online] Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hypertrichosis/ [5] Orphanet. (2021). Hypertrichosis. [online] Available at: https://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/OC_Exp.php?Lng=EN&Expert=180290
- In dermatology, understanding the causes of acquired hypertrichosis is crucial, as it can stem from various sources such as hormonal imbalances, medications, malignancies, systemic diseases, and other skin disorders like dermatomyositis or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
- The science of health-and-wellness emphasizes managing the symptoms or treating the underlying cause for hypertrichosis. Short-term methods include shaving, plucking, waxing, bleaching, and chemical epilation, but long-term solutions may require electrolysis or laser treatment to destroy individual hair follicles and achieve permanent hair loss.
- For mental-health and self-care reasons, individuals with a family history of hypertrichosis might benefit from discussing their concerns with a healthcare professional, as there could be a genetic component to certain forms of the condition.
- Skin-care regimens and therapies-and-treatments for hypertrichosis should address the unique characteristics of the hair, which can range from lanugo to terminal hair, each with distinct features: lanugo being long, thin, and very soft, vellus short and light-coloured, and terminal hair being the darkest and usually thickest.