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Dermatology Hair and Scalp Diseases:
about the book… Hair and Scalp Diseases: Medical, Surgical, and Cosmetic Treatments is a succinct and comprehensive guide examining the treatment of scalp and hair disorders, with a special concentration on ethnicity, hair type, and morphology of hair. Treatments that go beyond accepted US and international guidelines are incorporated, Hair and Scalp as the authors examine the use of off-label medications in case-sensitive scenarios. Packed with photographs of the scalp and hair that document the pathology, clinical cases, and treatment solutions, Hair and Scalp Diseases: Medical, Surgical, and Cosmetic Treatments • examines effective treatments that may differ from package inserts, allowing treatments for a wide range Diseases of patients with differing hair types • integrates ethnic-related variables into discussions of diagnosis, treatment, and management across all chapters Medical, Surgical, and • discusses approaches for patients with irritant and allergic contact dermatitis reactions of the scalp • lists ingredients and results of data from treatments, including: – mechanism of action Cosmetic Treatments
– absorption characteristics Medical, Surgical, and Cosmetic – general pharmacology in cosmetic, non-prescription, and prescription agents • provides a full chapter devoted to photographic analysis of hair for clinical use, including: – camera type – varying angles – specific steps for an effective photo
about the editors... AMY J. MCMICHAEL is Associate Professor and Dermatology Residency Program Director, Department of Dermatology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Dr. McMichael received her M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, Philadelphia, and her post-doctoral training consisted of an Internship in Internal Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, Dermatology Residency, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and advanced training in Epidemiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Her research focuses on hair and scalp disorders and skin disease of deeply pigmented skin. She is on the Editorial Board of Cosmetic Dermatology, is the CME editor of Skin & Aging, and has served as a consultant to the pharmaceutical industry. Dr. McMichael also sits on the board of directors for the Women’s Dermatology Society and is a Fellow of the American Academy Edited by Amy J. McMichael and Maria K. Hordinsky of Dermatology. Treatments MARIA K. HORDINSKY is Professor and Chair of the Department of Dermatology at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. She received her B.A. from Fordham University, New York, and her M.D. from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks. She completed her first post-graduate year at Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit Michigan, and her dermatology residency at the University of Minnesota. Additional training in dermatology and clinical research was subsequently supported with a fellowship from the Dermatology Foundation and a National Research Service Award from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Hordinsky is recognized for her expertise and research in hair diseases and the peripheral nervous system as it relates to hair follicle biology. McMichael Dr. Hordinsky is a recipient of the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, sits on the board of directors Hordinsky of the American Dermatologic Association and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. ■ Printed in the United States of America $+
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BASIC AND CLINICAL DERMATOLOGY
Series Editors ALAN R. SHALITA, M.D. Distinguished Teaching Professor and Chairman Department of Dermatology SUNY Downstate Medical Center Brooklyn, New York
DAVID A. NORRIS, M.D. Director of Research Professor of Dermatology The University of Colorado Health Sciences Center Denver, Colorado
1. Cutaneous Investigation in Health and Disease: Noninvasive Methods and Instrumentation, edited by Jean-Luc Lévêque 2. Irritant Contact Dermatitis, edited by Edward M. Jackson and Ronald Goldner 3. Fundamentals of Dermatology: A Study Guide, Franklin S. Glickman and Alan R. Shalita 4. Aging Skin: Properties and Functional Changes, edited by Jean-Luc Lévêque and Pierre G. Agache 5. Retinoids: Progress in Research and Clinical Applications, edited by Maria A. Livrea and Lester Packer 6. Clinical Photomedicine, edited by Henry W. Lim and Nicholas A. Soter 7. Cutaneous Antifungal Agents: Selected Compounds in Clinical Practice and Development, edited by John W. Rippon and Robert A. Fromtling 8. Oxidative Stress in Dermatology, edited by Jürgen Fuchs and Lester Packer 9. Connective Tissue Diseases of the Skin, edited by Charles M. Lafi ére and Thomas Krieg 10. Epidermal Growth Factors and Cytokines, edited by Thomas A. Luger and Thomas Schwarz 11. Skin Changes and Diseases in Pregnancy, edited by Marwali Harahap and Robert C. Wallach 12. Fungal Disease: Biology, Immunology, and Diagnosis, edited by Paul H. Jacobs and Lexie Nall 13. Immunomodulatory and Cytotoxic Agents in Dermatology, edited by Charles J. McDonald 14. Cutaneous Infection and Therapy, edited by Raza Aly, Karl R. Beutner, and Howard I. Maibach 15. Tissue Augmentation in Clinical Practice: Procedures and Techniques, edited by Arnold William Klein 16. Psoriasis: Third Edition, Revised and Expanded, edited by Henry H. Roenigk, Jr., and Howard I. Maibach 17. Surgical Techniques for Cutaneous Scar Revision, edited by Marwali Harahap 18. Drug Therapy in Dermatology, edited by Larry E. Millikan 19. Scarless Wound Healing, edited by Hari G. Garg and Michael T. Longaker 20. Cosmetic Surgery: An Interdisciplinary Approach, edited by Rhoda S. Narins 21. Topical Absorption of Dermatological Products, edited by Robert L. Bronaugh and Howard I. Maibach 22. Glycolic Acid Peels, edited by Ronald Moy, Debra Luftman, and Lenore S. Kakita 23. Innovative Techniques in Skin Surgery, edited by Marwali Harahap 24. Safe Liposuction and Fat Transfer, edited by Rhoda S. Narins McMichael PTR 01/23/08 SeriesPage
25. Pyschocutaneous Medicine, edited by John Y. M. Koo and Chai Sue Lee 26. Skin, Hair, and Nails: Structure and Function, edited by Bo Forslind and Magnus Lindberg 27. Itch: Basic Mechanisms and Therapy, edited by Gil Yosipovitch, Malcolm W. Greaves, Alan B. Fleischer, and Francis McGlone 28. Photoaging, edited by Darrell S. Rigel, Robert A. Weiss, Henry W. Lim, and Jeffrey S. Dover 29. Vitiligo: Problems and Solutions, edited by Torello Lotti and Jana Hercogova 30. Photodamaged Skin, edited by David J. Goldberg 31. Ambulatory Phlebectomy, Second Edition, edited by Mitchel P. Goldman, Mihael Georgiev, and Stefano Ricci 32. Cutaneous Lymphomas, edited by Gunter Burg and Werner Kempf 33. Wound Healing, edited by Anna Falabella and Robert Kirsner 34. Phototherapy and Photochemotherapy for Skin Disease, Third Edition, Warwick L. Morison 35. Advanced Techniques in Dermatologic Surgery, edited by Mitchel P. Goldman and Robert A. Weiss 36. Tissue Augmentation in Clinical Practice, Second Edition, edited by Arnold W. Klein 37. Cellulite: Pathophysiology and Treatment, edited by Mitchel P. Goldman, Pier Antonio Bacci, Gustavo Leibaschoff, Doris Hexsel, and Fabrizio Angelini 38. Photodermatology, edited by Henry W. Lim, Herbert Hönigsmann, and John L. M. Hawk 39. Retinoids and Carotenoids in Dermatology, edited by Anders Vahlquist and Madeleine Duvic 40. Acne and Its Therapy, edited by Guy F. Webster and Anthony V. Rawlings 41. Hair and Scalp Diseases: Medical, Surgical, and Cosmetic Treatments, edited by Amy J. McMichael and Maria K. Hordinsky 42. Anesthesia and Analgesia in Dermatologic Surgery, edited by Marwali Harahap and Adel R. Abadir McMichael_978-1574448221_TP.indd1 1 1/25/08 11:01:25 AM Hair and Scalp Diseases Medical, Surgical, and Cosmetic Treatments
Edited by Amy J. McMichael Wake Forest University School of Medicine Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA Maria K. Hordinsky University of Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
McMichael_978-1574448221_TP.indd2 2 1/25/08 11:01:26 AM McMichael PTR 01/21/08 FM_Copyrightpage
Informa Healthcare USA, Inc. 52 Vanderbilt Avenue New York, NY 10017
© 2008 by Informa Healthcare USA, Inc. Informa Healthcare is an Informa business
No claim to original U.S. Government works Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
International Standard Book Number-10: 1-57444-822-6 (Hardcover) International Standard Book Number-13: 978-1-57444-822-1 (Hardcover)
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hair and scalp diseases : medical, surgical, and cosmetic treatments / edited by Amy J. McMichael, Maria K. Hordinsky. p. ; cm. -- (Basic and clinical dermatology ; 41) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-1-57444-822-1 (hb : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 1-57444-822-6 (hb : alk. paper) 1. Hair--Diseases--Treatment. 2. Scalp--Diseases-- Treatment. I. McMichael, Amy J. II. Hordinsky, Maria K. III. Series. [DNLM: 1. Hair Diseases--therapy. 2. Hair Diseases--ethnology. 3. Scalp Dermatoses--ethnology. 4. Scalp Dermatoses--therapy. W1 CL69L v.41 2008 / WR 450 H15245 2008]
RL151.H25 2008 616.5’46--dc22 2007042262
Visit the Informa Web site at www.informa.com and the Informa Healthcare Web site at www.informahealthcare.com McMichael PTR 01/23/08 FM
Our thanks to Ralph, Jessica, and Jacob Thomas and Bob, Irene, Catherine, Alexander, and Kristina Kramarczuk for their help and support. Their understanding about the late nights at the computer, the many conference calls, and the missed family time was the key that allowed us to fi nish this endeavor. We could not have done it without you! —Amy J. McMichael Maria K. Hordinsky McMichael PTR 01/23/08 FM McMichael PTR 01/23/08 FM
Series Introduction
During the past 30 years, there has been a vast explosion in new information relating to the art and science of dermatology as well as fundamental cutaneous biology. Furthermore, this information is no longer of interest only to the small but growing specialty of dermatology. Clinicians and scientists from a wide variety of disciplines have come to recognize both the importance of skin in fundamental bio logical processes and the broad implications of under- standing the pathogenesis of skin disease. As a result, there is now a multidisciplinary and worldwide interest in the progress of dermatology. With these factors in mind, we have undertaken this series of books specifi cally oriented to dermatology. The scope of the series is purposely broad, with books ranging from pure basic science to practical, applied clinical dermatology. Thus, while there is something for everyone, all volumes in the series will ultimately prove to be valuable additions to the dermatologist’s library. The current volume represents what I believe to be the defi nitive work on the manage- ment of hair and scalp disorders by recognized authorities in the fi eld. It should prove to be a valuable resource for clinicians, students, and educators in dermatology.
Alan R. Shalita, M.D. Distinguished Teaching Professor and Chairman Department of Dermatology SUNY Downstate Medical Center Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A. McMichael PTR 01/23/08 FM McMichael PTR 01/23/08 FM
Preface
Our goals were several in developing and editing Hair and Scalp Diseases: Medical, Surgical, and Cosmetic Treatments. First, we wanted to give the readers of our text a comprehensive view of treatment for each scalp and hair disorder. Rather than follow previous models, we strove to cre- ate the quintessential text on treatment of these disorders with a special concentration on ethnic- ity, hair type, and cultural haircare practices for each entity in a composite fashion. We wanted to impart widely the information that has been accumulated by specialists in the fi eld of hair and scalp disorders and to do so in a way that was easy to follow, practical, and complete. Finally, we strove to enumerate treatments that may go beyond accepted U.S. and international guidelines and incorporate off-label use of medications when data indicates this may be necessary. We charged our contributors with the challenge of approaching each hair disorder with a therapeutic ladder. The treatment of each disorder begins in the simplest form and becomes more complex, dependent upon patient response, cultural practices, and concomitant disease. We asked each author to create treatment plans that look beyond the best-described treatments to those that incorporate creative, thoughtful approaches to the management of the multitude of hair and scalp disorders that challenge dermatologists. While physicians must be savvy about product inserts for recommended dosage schedules, we asked our contributors to consider how practical and effective treatment may differ from package inserts or must be altered to allow for treatment of a wide range of patients with different hair types. We asked authors to report how the treatments that they chose worked, including mecha- nism of action, absorption characteristics, and general pharmacology of the agent or agents. We felt this was imperative for both cosmetic, nonprescription, and prescription agents. To make this text current, we asked authors to include data on the effi cacy or benefi ts of many of the lat- est product additives. We felt that the phenomenon of allergic responses of scalp skin and the appropriate agents to use in the face of suspected or known sensitivities is important, but often overlooked. This book serves as a primer for those seeking an approach to the patient with irritant and allergic contact dermatitis reactions of the scalp. With all this in mind, our authors were asked to include all ethnicities and hair types when discussing choice of treatment and product effi cacy. We specifi cally hoped to avoid creating a separate ethnic haircare chapter by requesting that each contributor integrate this information into each of their chapters, where diversity in approach can be appreciated and put into perspective. The audience for this work is wide. Practicing dermatologists and dermatologists in training will fi nd the therapeutic regimens presented here to be practical and helpful. Staff in pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies can benefi t from understanding the dermatologist’s approach to the diagnosis and management of hair and scalp disorders. We fi rmly believe that anyone interested in hair and scalp diseases will benefi t from using this book as a resource.
Amy J. McMichael Maria K. Hordinsky McMichael PTR 01/23/08 FM McMichael PTR 01/23/08 FM
Contents
Series Introduction Alan R. Shalita . . v Preface ...... vii Contributors ...... xi 1. Human Hair 1 John Gray 2. Evaluation Techniques 19 Christopher L. Gummer 3. Photographic Imaging in Hair Loss 35 Douglas Canfi eld 4. Hair Follicle Anatomy in Human Scalp Biopsies 41 David A. Whiting and Lady C. Dy 5. Nonmedicated Grooming Products and Beauty Treatments 59 Zoe Diana Draelos 6. Dandruff and Seborrheic Dermatitis: Use of Medicated Shampoos 73 Janet G. Hickman 7. Alopecia Areata 91 Maria K. Hordinsky and Ana Paula Avancini Caramori 8. Androgenetic Alopecia 107 Andrew G. Messenger 9. Telogen Effl uvium 119 Wilma F. Bergfeld 10. Cicatricial Alopecia 137 Paradi Mirmirani 11. Structural Hair Abnormalities 149 Hope V. Dinh, Rodney D. Sinclair, and Jack Green 12. Scalp Prostheses: Wigs, Hairpieces, Extensions, and Scalp-Covering Cosmetics 163 Ingrid E. Roseborough 13. Hair Transplantation 175 Ron Shapiro and Valerie D. Callender 14. Alternative Treatments for Hair Loss 197 Christine Jaworsky 15. Hirsutism and Hypertrichosis 211 Katherine R. Kerchner and Amy J. McMichael 16. Light-Assisted Hair Removal 225 Brian Zelickson and Lydia Sahara McMichael PTR 01/23/08 FM
x Contents
17. Allergic Contact Dermatitis 237 Sharone K. Askari and Erin M. Warshaw 18. The Biopsychosocial Aspects of Hair Disease 267 Lucinda S. Buescher and David Resch 19. Scalp Infections and Infestations 277 Bryan K. Chen and Sheila Fallon Friedlander 20. Sources of Alopecia Information for Physicians and Patients 297 Jennifer Conde and Amy J. McMichael 21. Approach to the Patient with Alopecia 301 Lynne J. Goldberg
Index 309 McMichael PTR 01/23/08 FM
Contributors
Sharone K. Askari Department of Dermatology, St. Louis University Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.
Wilma F. Bergfeld Departments of Dermatology and Pathology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.
Lucinda S. Buescher Department of Dermatology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfi eld, Illinois, U.S.A.
Valerie D. Callender Department of Dermatology, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, D.C. and Callender Skin and Laser Center, Mitchellville, Maryland, U.S.A.
Douglas Canfi eld Canfi eld Imaging Systems, Fairfi eld, New Jersey, U.S.A.
Ana Paula Avancini Caramori Department of Dermatology, Complexo Hospitalar Santa Casa de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Bryan K. Chen Rady Children’s Hospital and Health Center, UC San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California, U.S.A.
Jennifer Conde Department of Dermatology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.A.
Hope V. Dinh Department of Dermatology, St. Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Zoe Diana Draelos Dermatology Consulting Services, High Point, North Carolina, U.S.A.
Lady C. Dy Department of Dermatology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
Sheila Fallon Friedlander Rady Children’s Hospital and Health Center, UC San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California, U.S.A.
Lynne J. Goldberg Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
John Gray Gray’s Medical Practice, Gosbury Hill Health Center, Chessington and Proctor and Gamble Beauty, Surrey, U.K.
Jack Green Department of Dermatology, St. Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Christopher L. Gummer Cider Solutions Ltd., Chilworth, Surrey, U.K. McMichael PTR 01/23/08 FM
xii Contributors
Janet G. Hickman Dermatology Consultants, Inc. and The Education and Research Foundation, Inc., Lynchburg, Virginia, U.S.A.
Maria K. Hordinsky Department of Dermatology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A.
Christine Jaworsky Department of Dermatology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.
Katherine R. Kerchner Department of Dermatology, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.A.
Amy J. McMichael Department of Dermatology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.A.
Andrew G. Messenger Department of Dermatology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffi eld, U.K.
Paradi Mirmirani Department of Dermatology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, and University of California, San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
David Resch Division of Medicine/Psychiatry, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfi eld, Illinois, U.S.A.
Ingrid E. Roseborough Department of Dermatology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, U.S.A.
Lydia Sahara Department of Dermatology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A.
Ron Shapiro Shapiro Medical Group, Bloomington, Minnesota, U.S.A.
Rodney D. Sinclair Department of Dermatology, St. Vincent’s Hospital and Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Erin M. Warshaw Department of Dermatology, University of Minnesota and Minneapolis VA Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A.
David A. Whiting Department of Dermatology and Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Baylor Hair Research and Treatment Center, Dallas, Texas, U.S.A.
Brian Zelickson Department of Dermatology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A. McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 01
1 Human Hair
John Gray Gray’s Medical Practice, Gosbury Hill Health Center, Chessington, and Proctor and Gamble Beauty, Surrey, U.K.
INTRODUCTION As the fi fth and naked ape, modern humans do not possess an all-encompassing, thick and pigmented pelage once the intrauterine lanugo hairs are shed. Selection for shorter and fi ner body hair has resulted in only head hair remaining in any quantity. This however is capable of growing to greater lengths than that of any other mammal (Fig. 1). Since the human head bears some 100,000–150,000 hair follicles, an individual adult with 30 months continuous, unstyled growth, will carry some 30 kilometers of hair. This in itself has consequences for grooming and overall appearance.
STRUCTURE OF HAIR Many other publications describe in detail the human hair follicle (1). It is worth mentioning some of the salient features that relate to the human hair shaft. The cross section of the hair shaft has three major components: the cuticle, the cortex, and the medulla (Fig. 2). The main constitu- ents of hair are sulphur-rich protein, lipids, water, melanin, and trace elements (2). The cortex, the main bulk of a fully keratinized hair shaft, contributes almost all the mechanical properties of the hair, including strength and elasticity (2). The cuticle consists of six to eight layers of fl attened overlapping cells with their free edges directed upward to the tip of the hair shaft (2). Innermost is the endocuticle, derived from the developing cell cytoplasm contents. The exocu- ticle lies closer to the external surface and comprises three parts: the b-layer, the a-layer, and the epicuticle. The b-layer and the a-layer are largely proteinaceus. The epicuticle is a hydrophobic lipid layer of 18-methyleicosanoic acid on the surface of the fi ber, or the f-layer. The epicuticle is not visible on routine microscopy. The normal cuticle has a smooth appearance, allowing light refl ection and limiting fric- tion between the hair shafts. It is responsible for the luster and texture of the hair (3). The cuticle may be damaged by frictional forces (brushing, combing or blow-drying) as chemical removal of the f-layer, particularly by oxidation, eliminates the fi rst hydrophobic defense and leaves the hair more porous and vulnerable. Cuticle disruption with alkaline chemicals is the fi rst step in permanent hair styling (3). If the cuticle is damaged there is little change in the tensile proper- ties of hair. The cortex consists of closely packed spindle-shaped cortical cells rich in keratin fi laments that are oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hair shaft (2), and an amorphous matrix of high sulphur proteins. The intermediate fi lament hair keratins (40–60 kDa), comprising 400 to 500 amino acid residues in heptad sequence repeats, form hard keratin polypeptide chains that pair together to form protofi laments, which make up a keratin chain. The keratin chains have a large number of sulphur-containing cysteine residues. Cysteine residues in adjacent keratin fi laments form covalent disulphide bonds, which create a strong crosslink between adjacent keratin chains (6). The disulphide bonds confer shape, stability, and resilience to the hair shaft. Other weaker bonds link the keratin polypeptide chains together, such as Van der Waal interactions, hydrogen bonds, and coulombic interactions known as salt links (6). These weaker bonds can be overcome with water (6). The medulla consists of a cortex like framework of spongy keratin supporting thin shells of amorphous material bonding air spaces of variable size. It is absent in most human terminal hair, other than gray hairs. 2 Gray
FIGURE 1 Human hair grows longer than that of any other mammal.
Hair Color Hair color is determined by the melanocytes found only in the matrix area of the follicle at the base of the cortex directly above the follicular papilla. Melanocytes transfer packages of melanin (melanosomes) to the cortical cells during anagen. Eumelanin is the dominant global pigment and confers black/brown hair. Pheomelanin, a mutation of eumelanis, is the predominant pig- ment found in blonde or red hair (4). Graying of hair is a normal manifestation of aging and illustrates progressive reduction in melanocyte function. The proportions of eumelanin and phe- omelanin and the total amount of melanin determine the fi nal natural color of the hair (5).
FIGURE 2 Multiple hair shafts. One hair displays a medulla. McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 01
Human Hair 3
Black and dark brown hair are the prevalent natural hair colors of peoples of all regions, accounting for more than 90% of all human hair. Dark hair is characterized by very high levels of the dark pigment eumelanin. Blonde hair frequency is reported as 1.8% worldwide. Blonde hair is characterized by low levels of the dark pigment eumelanin and higher levels of the pale pigment pheomelanin. Shades range from light brown to pale blonde. In certain European populations, the occurrence of blonde hair is more frequent, and often remains throughout adulthood, leading to misinter- pretation that blondeness is a uniquely European trait. Based on recent genetic information, it is probable that humans with blonde hair became more numerous in Europe about 10,000 to 11,000 years ago during the last ice age, as a result of Fisherian runaway mechanisms. Prior to this, early Europeans had dark brown hair and dark eyes, as is predominant in the rest of the world. In humans of many ethnicities, lighter hair colors occur naturally as rare mutations, but at such low rates that it is hardly noticeable in most adult populations. Light hair color is commonly seen in children, and is curiously common in children of the Australian Aboriginal population. Lithuania has the highest percentage of people with blonde hair. Bleaching of hair is com- mon, especially among women. Bleached blonde hair can be distinguished from natural blonde hair by exposing it to ultraviolet light, as heavily bleached hair will glow, while natural blonde hair will not. There are no comparable data for red hair, but in the areas of obvious frequency (the fringes of Western and Eastern Europe) it is at a maximum of 10%. In Scotland, 35% of the population carries the recessive gene for red hair. Eighty percent of redheads have the mela- nocortin-1 receptor gene anomaly. Controversial estimations of the original occurrence of the red-haired gene at 40,000 years ago are probable. Red hair is associated with the melanocortin-1 receptor, which is found on chromosome 16. Red hair may be an example of incomplete dominance. When only one copy of the red-hair allele is present, red hair may blend with the other hair color, resulting in different types of red hair including strawberry blonde (red-blonde) and auburn (red-brown).
The Record of the Hair The hair shaft records repeated cosmetic practices—the so-called record of the hair (7). Hair grows at ≈ 0.4 mm per day for between two and seven years, sometimes up to 10 years (7). Newly emerging hair has properties that are different from those of the hair tips. The more distal part of the hair shaft, particularly the tip, has typically undergone several hundred washes, the application of hot styling implements, and other cosmetic procedures such as bleaching, perma- nent coloring, and perming in addition to normal exposure to the environment. It may show the effects of weathering. The root may be less porous and have different chemical properties (7).
MORPHOLOGY OF HUMAN HAIR The varied morphology of humans and their hair may be explained by both genetics and the adaptive consequences that occurred after the fi rst diaspora of Homo sapiens. Genetic evidence suggests that Homo sapiens originated only 200,000–250,000 years ago somewhere in the East African savannah. Despite their apparent phenotypic variation, today’s world population is potentially derived from as few as 1,000 to 10,000 individuals. Using average rates of genetic mutation, this population lived at a time that coincided with the massive Toba volcanic disas- ter, which affected global climate, effectively wiped out all other hominids, and devastated Homo sapiens. Descendants of these “modern” humans migrated out of Africa when the climate improved and populated the earth. The human genome is minute compared to that of other species. This is due in the most part to the gross reduction in breeding pairs in the late Pleistocene era. This core of humanity, survived near-extinction and went on to populate the entire world in less than 5000 genera- tions. In less than 100 generations and 2000 years, world population has risen from 3 million to 6 billion. The majority (61%) live in Asia. Of the remainder, 14% live in the Americas, 13% in Africa, and 12% in Europe with only 0.5% in Oceania. Hair form arose from these clans and, as much as skin color, denotes local origins. 4 Gray
“Race” and Hair Form After the fi rst migration out of Africa the human genotype spread, localized, and adapted, to create the basic stock phenotypes still seen today (8). Despite serial migrations, the original groups have been preserved largely on a regional basis. Bands, which are the simplest form of human society, and still exist (Inuit, indigenous Australians) expanded into clans and sub- sequently tribes. Until the advent of global agriculture some 7,000 ago, genetic lineages were probably tightly maintained. Thereafter, gene sharing occurred on a steadily widening basis. Where and when the emergence of the archetypal hair forms that are described in the literature occurred is not known. Similarly, knowledge of the hair phenotype of early humans and whether the tightly curled hair of today’s equatorial Africa or a more wavy appearance predominated is speculative (Figs. 3 and 4). Any given physical characteristic is generally found in multiple groups (9). Demonstrat- ing that environmental selective pressures shaped specifi c physical features is diffi cult, since such features may have resulted from sexual selection for individuals.
Causcasoid, Negroid, and Mongoloid The literature perpetuates the taxonomy of hair as caucasoid, negroid, and mongoloid. These terms not only have a pejorative ring but from a practical standpoint are scientifi cally inac- curate and no longer employed by publishers. Further, they are geopolitically incorrect. Other alternatives, such as Equatorial-African, Indo-European (IE), and Asian, might better allocate the dominant phenotypes while recognizing the impact of past passive and forced migrations, and the increasing homogenicity of the scalp hair of Homo sapiens through gene sharing.
Hair Morphology Studies Human hair morphology varies from the fl at to the round (Fig. 5). Typically these have been allocated to perceived “racial” groups (Fig. 6). However, certain human scalps often bear a multiplicity of hair phenotypes.
FIGURE 3 This woman’s clan is from Eastern Africa (modern Ethiopia). Her hair displays varied phenotypic adaptability—straight hair when pregnant and tightly coiled in the nonpregnant state. Curiously she is a doppleganger for the proposed African Eve published in Newsweek (see Fig. 4). McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 01
Human Hair 5
FIGURE 4 African Eve as represented in Newsweek magazine.
In many parts of the world, groups have mixed in such a way that many individuals have relatively recent ancestors from widely separated regions. Although genetic analyses of large numbers of loci can produce estimates of the percentage of a person’s ancestors coming from various continental populations (10,11), these estimates may assume a false distinctiveness of the parental populations since human groups have exchanged mates from local to continental scales throughout history (12). Even with large numbers of markers, information for estimat- ing admixture proportions of individuals or groups is limited and estimates typically will have wide confi dence intervals (13). The alleged relationship between the cross-sectional shape of the hair shaft and the form of the hair, e.g., curly or straight hair, is less than dogmatic. Three-dimensional computer-aided reconstructions have documented that the follicle form determines the appearance of the hair, e.g., the “African” follicle has a helical form, whereas that of the Asian follicle is completely straight. The IE follicle represents variations between these extremes. However, even a straight IE follicle may produce a hair shaft that has an oval cross (14). Few biological data on curly hair follicles have been reported in the literature. However, follicles dissected from scalp skin samples from African, Guyanese, and Caucasian volunteers
FIGURE 5 Cross section of (left to right) Asian, Indo-European, and African hair. 6 Gray
FIGURE 6 EMG of (left to right) Asian, Indo-European, and African hair. Note the propensity of African hair to fold (curl). were observed macroscopically in culture in Williams’ E medium, and by immunohistochem- istry. Macroscopic study of scalp biopsies obtained from African volunteers showed that the dermal implantation of follicles was curved with a retro-curvature at the level of the bulb, as opposed to a straight shape in Caucasian (IE) follicles. The bulb itself was bent, in the shape of a golf club, while both the outer root sheath (ORS) and the connective tissue sheath were asym- metrical along the follicle (15). In vitro growth of curly hair follicles was slightly slower than that of Caucasian follicles but, more importantly, the curvature was maintained in the hair shaft produced in vitro. Immu- nohistochemistry revealed that the proliferative matrix compartment of curly hair follicles was asymmetrical, with Ki-67-labeled cells more numerous on the convex side and extending above the Auber line. On the convex part of the follicle, the ORS was thinner and the differentia- tion programs of the inner root sheath and hair shaft were delayed. Some ORS cells expressed alpha-smooth muscle actin protein on the concave side of the curvature, refl ecting a mechanical stress. The authors concluded that hair curliness is programmed from the bulb and is linked to asymmetry in differentiation programs. Alternatively, the origin of the curliness of human hair has been reported from studies employing scanning microbeam small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), based on the nanostruc- ture of keratin fi ber arrangement. Scanning microbeam SAXS patterns of single hair fi bers have been measured across the fi bers. The differences in the patterns between the inner and the outer sides of the curvature were successfully detected (16). The analysis of the equatorial and azi- muthal scattering intensity profi les showed that the arrangement of the intermediate fi laments was different between the inner and the outer sides of the curvature. From the analogy with Merino and Romny wool, it is suggested that different types of cortices exist in human hair. It is concluded that, regardless of the ethnic origins, the macroscopic curl shape of the hair fi ber originates from the nonhomogeneity of the internal nanostructure, arising from unhomoge- neous distribution of two types of cortices.
Adaptive Changes in Hair Morphology Since Africa is the home of humankind, it is appropriate to commence here with a discussion of hair morphology. “African” phenotypes show as much diversity as do their genotypes. The classical hair of equatorial Africa is also seen in equatorial regions of Indonesia and Australia. This type of hair is tightly coiled, with a thick appearance and feel. Curiously, some Indo-Euro- peans also express this phenotype (Fig. 7). Many of the populations of northeastern Africa have looser, less tightly coiled hair than most other Africans. Andamanese peoples, the Negrito, are phenotypically African but are in fact a recent Asian branch. Their small stature, heavily pigmented skin, and tightly coiled hair represent a recent adaptation to equatorial existence. Melanesian peoples express the same traits. Late African phenotypes are thinly spread throughout the world. Indigenous Australian peoples exhibit the same phenotype and some Aboriginal infants are born with blonde hair. Wooly hair syndrome is a condition affecting a small percentage of persons of IE and Asian heritage. It is characterized by extremely frizzy and wiry hair that looks almost wooly in appearance. Wooly hair is a rare defect in the structure of scalp hair. This hair is either present at birth or appears during the fi rst months of life. The curls, with an average diameter of 0.5 centimeter, lie closely together and usually make the hair diffi cult to comb. In addition, the hair may be more fragile than usual. The syndrome usually lessens in adulthood, when wavy hair often takes the place of wooly hair. McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 01
Human Hair 7
FIGURE 7 A northwestern European child with tightly curled hair.
The difference between wooly hair in Africans and the hair found in non-Africans with the syndrome is that African hair lies typically separate and is tightly coiled or spiraled, while the curls of the latter tend to merge. This type of hair often only covers portions of the scalp.
Weathering Weathering is the progressive degeneration from the root to the tip of the hair of the cuticle and then later the cortex due to routine everyday wear and tear. Although all hair exhibits some degree of weathering, longer hair, subjected to repeated insults, inevitably shows more severe changes of weathering (Fig. 8). Features of weathering include damaged cuticles, longitudinal fi ssures known as split ends, and transverse fi ssures resembling the nodes seen in trichorrhexis nodosa (1).
Function of Human Hair The function of human hair is, curiously, unresolved. Hypotheses vary: Is it a relic of the hypo- thetical aquatic phase of human development where a pelage would be an impairment? Is hair an integral adaptation for thermoregulation and ultraviolet protection, a mere adornment, or the result of Fisherian runaway sexual selection? All these theories can be disproved not least by the tendency for humans of both sexes to bald. Hair may and often is interpreted as a marker of age, healthy nutrition, and fecundity. In its styled form it is employed in all societies to express social status or cultural affi liation. Hair in most cultures is at its zenith on the wedding day as a mark of health, wealth, and sexual attraction. By contrast, sociological studies have revealed the full impact of so-called bad hair days, where subjective and objective negative assessment of hair may reduce self-esteem.
FIGURE 8 Severe weathering. 8 Gray
HUMAN HAIR AND ATTRACTIVENESS Although hair is cited as a factor contributing to human attractiveness, it is seldom described in terms more explicit than “healthy.” From an attractiveness standpoint, a person’s face would not have been easily visible across the open grassland, plain, or tundra for early humans or, in sub- sequent generations, across a darkened dance fl oor. The appearance of scalp hair, in conjunction with body form, is the key and immediate component of attraction. Physical attractiveness can have very real effects. A survey of 11,000 people conducted by London Guildhall University revealed that people who were described as physically attractive earned on average 13% more than those who were deemed less attractive (17). This fi nding, however, might be construed to be the result of the increased self-confi dence of people who perceive themselves as more physi- cally attractive. Certain advantages do accrue to such persons: the ability to obtain better jobs, pay, and promotions; more choices in partners and, consequently, more power in relationships; and the opportunity to marry into families with more resources (money) (Fig. 9). At a distance, or from behind, the quality of a person’s hair may imply an age (youth, health, and fecundity) not realized by facial markers (Fig. 10). Conversely, facial beauty may be marred or distracted from by unkempt or unhealthy hair. Of all the parameters by which hair is assessed, shine may be construed as is the most representative of healthy hair and, perhaps by implication, a healthy body (Fig. 11).
Hair, Shine, and Attraction The face, at close quarters, is the apparent focus of an observer’s attention. A considerable body of literature defi nes and discusses the assessment of facial attractiveness. However, many authors, including Matt Ridley in his acclaimed work The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature (18), discuss the role of hair in attracting a mate. Hair shine is an optical phenomenon that depends on the parallelism of the incident light, the (micro)roughness of the surface of the body this light strikes, and the translucence of this object. In the case of hair fi bers, their morphology, particularly their ellipticity, is of relevance and the interpretation of the photoelectric impulses received by the brain via the eyes is critical. Each hair bears layers of external cells forming the cuticle. Each acts as a mirror that refl ects a certain ratio of the incident light, and the higher the number of layers, the higher the ratio of the refl ected light and, consequently, the more intense the luster (Fig. 12). Contrast luster is the contrast of the refl ected light viewed against an angular dependency. Put in simpler terms, if the source of light, or the observer, moves, the luster changes. Contrast luster may be affected by hair surface damage, hair color, and hair morphology (whether the hair is curly or straight). Other factors that infl uence contrast luster include the interaction of light with the sawtooth- shaped fi ne structure of the hair cuticle, or the presence of sebum, which eliminates this fi ne structure and renders the hair dull and unattractive by an interference mechanism (Fig. 13). All of these physical factors may subconsciously infl uence the perception of attractive- ness in the eye of the beholder.
Hair Forms, Styles, and Fashions Until the advent of readily available and reliable cosmetic products, the hairstyle of early Homo sapiens must have been somewhat of a gamble. Naturally short hair is an advantage in hot and humid climates and long hair is perhaps more benefi cial in cold regions. However, what is ulti- mately achievable is determined by the phenotype and length of anagen of each hair (Fig. 14). TABLE 1 Cosmetic Treatments and the Resulting Alteration of Contrast Luster Effect of product Factor that infl uences Dying Bleach contrast luster Styling products (deeper color) (lighter color) Conditioners Perms Refl ection properties Increased Increased Decreased Various Unchanged Hair set (straight, curled) Unchanged Unchanged Unchanged Increased Decreased Hair damage Unchanged Unchanged Decreased Unchanged Decreased Overall effect Increased Increased Decreased Various Decreased McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 01
Human Hair 9
FIGURE 9 Healthy hair framing symmetrical features.
For most of the world’s current population, straight, darkly pigmented hair is the norm (Fig. 15). This phenotype demonstrates a largely circular shaft with a diameter varying between 50 and 120 microns. Curly hair is the classical phenotype of subequatorial African peoples. The hair shaft tends to be fl atter and is intrinsically more vulnerable to weathering. Curly hair is more common in Europe and North Africa. It has the advantage of conferring natural volume but presents chal- lenges in grooming (Figs. 16–18). Straight hair is the arch-phenotype of Asians and Native Americans. The Americas were populated by migrants from the former across the Bering Strait some 12,000 years ago. While some IE hair is straight, particularly in the Indian subcontinent, in regions closer to Europe there is a mixture of straight, wavy, and curly hair. Various aspects of Asian and IE hair have been investigated and compared. The number of cuticle layers, width of the cuticle cells, degree of their inclination, and the interval between surface cuticle edges, have been recorded in a study of two hundred subjects for each of these two ethnic groups. It has been reported that there are statistically meaningful differences between all these attributes for the two hair
FIGURE 10 This lady with extraordinarily long hair might be perceived to be a teenager. She is, however, in her fi fth decade. Women with long hair may be perceived as “more attractive,” as the ability to grow long, healthy- looking hair (and nails) is deemed a refl ection of the youth and health of the individual. 10 Gray
FIGURE 11 The shine band of hair attracts the eye and is the most important parameter for implied “health.” types. Asian hair has more cuticle layers and wider cuticle cells than IE hair, and the cuticular inclination of Asian hair is steeper and its cuticular interval is narrower than that of IE hair. In addition, it was found that there are differences in how cuticle cells weathered. Under exten- sion stress, Asian hair cuticles fail as large pieces while keeping their original shape. On the other hand, IE hair cuticles tend to collapse, forming small fragments. Measurements revealed that IE cuticles are more fragile than Asian cuticles. These results were interpreted to show a difference in the strength of cuticular subcomponents. However, the contention that this is the
FIGURE 12 Contrast luster is dependent on optical phenomena that differ for the 2% of people with blonde hair compared with the 98% of people with hair of other colors. McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 01
Human Hair 11
FIGURE 13 Two hairs with radically different cuticular profi les. Each layer acts as a mirror. The less-damaged hair (top) has a higher ratio of refl ected light and more intense luster and shine. single weak point of IE hair must be treated with caution, as wig makers routinely remove the cuticular layer from human hair with no demonstrable reduction in stress resistance (19). In a study to collect qualitative and quantitative data about the morphology, structure, geometry, water-swelling, and mechanical properties of hair fi bers, samples were obtained from subjects of different ethnic origins. X-ray analyses, cross-sectional measurements, tensile testing, and water swelling were performed on samples of hair collected from European, Asian, and African subjects. No differences in the intimate structures of fi bers were observed among these three types of hair, whereas geometry, mechanical properties, and water swelling dif- fered according to clan origin. In addition, the behavior of hair fi ber under mechanical stress was visualized with environmental scanning electron microscopy.
Hair and Cultural Attitudes Hair, as the one readily adaptable natural human asset, can be arranged, or styled, in a multi- tude of ways. It has an unsurpassed ability to convey social status and cultural affi liation (Fig. 19). However, almost all societies have found it necessary to cut or confi ne the hair for the simple expedience of utility in daily life. Three trends dominate historical record.
Shaved Hair In pharaonic Egypt, hair was often shaved, especially among children, where long hairstyles would prove uncomfortable or parasites, such as head lice, were a problem. Wigs were the privilege of the ruling classes, a trend that recurred for the next 5000 years as evinced by the fashionable courts of Europe and the British judiciary.
FIGURE 14 Classical hairstyles from around the world. 12 Gray
FIGURE 15 Classical Oriental straight hair moderated with modern cosmetic products.
Shaved heads may also indicate a religious sect or aspiration. Buddhist monks shave their heads as a renunciation of the world, and Muslim men may wear a single long lock of hair on their otherwise shaved heads to evince hair’s religious signifi cance. As a rite of passage, Hindu males shave their heads when they reach adolescence. The Manchu of China left only a braided queue residue as a mark of submission, which became a mark of dignity and manhood. As a tribal signal, pre-Columbian Native Americans in eastern North America were sometimes entirely shaven, save for a ridge, or comb, of hair along the crown. Plains Indians wore two long plaits. The habit of shaving has persisted into the twenty-fi rst century. Shaving hair has simi- larly been imposed on residents of military and penal institutions and World War II female collaborators. This act implies diminution of status (the Samson effect).
Short Hair Short hair has obvious benefi ts. In Classical Greece and Rome, where hairdressing matured into a public service, hair was worn short and was a clear sign of civilization in comparison
FIGURE 16 Curly hair confers volume but is more diffi cult to groom. McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 01
Human Hair 13
FIGURE 17 Hair classical of indigenous Australian peoples.
to the barbarian neighbors. This trend persisted in Europe until the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries when pageboy styles emerged as part of an aristocratic fashion. The clerical pudding- basin, ear-revealing style of the early fi fteenth century was superseded by a longer pageboy style—rough in the north and coiffured in Italy. By contrast, in Mesoamerica Inca chiefs wore relatively short hair, and commoners wore progressively longer hair. The French Revolution and the accompanying militarism induced short styles for both men and women. Women classically adopted short curls that framed the face or smooth plaits around the head. They also wore colored wigs. In the industrial nineteenth century, among the emerging middle class, men wore short curled and dressed hair with a moustache, sideburns, or beard. The exigencies of the World Wars, particularly World War I, prompted a return to short hair and loss of facial adornment, which apart from the counterculture of the 1960s established a norm that has persisted into the twenty-fi rst century. In the West, women cut or “bobbed” their hair as a symbol of their political and social emancipation after World War I. This trend was followed by a succession of celebrity-inspired short, head-clinging hairstyles. The permanent wave, invented by the German Charles Nessler around 1905, offered styling to the masses. In the same vein, the invention of rollers for waving made possible the very short, layered Italian look. In the 1960s the availability of natural-look- ing hair pieces in the form of full wigs, half wigs, or long falls, at all prices, enabled almost every woman to own one or more to suit her taste and mood.
FIGURE 18 Atypical curly hair in Thailand. 14 Gray
FIGURE 19 Hair as a mark of clan style.
Long Hair In the ancient world, long hair and long-haired wigs were the province of aristocracy. Sumeri- ans and Persians powdered, curled, crimped and dyed their hair, and the horse-borne barbar- ians who overran Europe in the Middle Ages wore long fl owing locks and beards. In Africa, where hair frequently denoted sex and status, the Massai males wore their hair waist-length, whereas, women and noncombatants shaved their heads. Chinese and Japanese women traditionally wore long hair, possibly under a bandeau or worn as a knot, which might be decorated. Unmarried girls signifi ed their status with long plaits. In Japan, the introduction of pomade in the seventeenth century led to the familiar sweep, arranged with combs, bars, ribbons, and ornamental hairpins, which revealed the nape of the neck. In Muslim cultures, the hair was and still is frequently concealed in public. In many parts of the world a henna rinse is common. In the fi fteenth century, fashionable ladies of northern Europe plucked their hairline to make their foreheads seem higher and scraped their hair back under an elaborate pointed or wired headdress. In the twenty-fi rst century, when hair fashions are so driven by celebrity, long hair in the West is associated with young females and males of an artistic bent. Unlike the rebellious 1960s and 1970s, long hair is now uncommon as a male phenomenon.
Celebrity Hair Hairstyles in the West have been greatly infl uenced by changing fashions for generations. For the moneyed classes, wigs were worn until the advent of World War I. Elizabeth I transformed Europe for redheads, who had hitherto been reviled. Many stained-glass representations of Judas depict him with red hair. Balding royalty, most notably Louis XIV, drove a wig culture for a time. Civil wars and religion have infl uenced fashions with the long curling locks of the royalist Anglican Cavaliers and the cropped hair of the parliamentarian Puritan Roundheads. The portraits of Flemish artist Sir Anthony Van Dykes infl uenced facial hairstyles in the late seventeenth century. In the 1890s the Gibson Girl’s pompadour was combed over a pad, making a high wide frame for the face, and swept up behind. Heated irons, such as the waving iron invented by the French hairdresser Marcel Grateau in the 1870s, allowed women to achieve curls, crimping, and the natural-looking Marcel wave. In the twentieth century the broad reach of print and electronic media increasingly infl uenced the world of fashion, including hairstyles. In Asia, permanent hair dyeing is epidemic—not always to best effect (Fig. 20). McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 01
Human Hair 15
FIGURE 20 Permanent hair dyeing is common among Asians.
Hair and Ethnic Allegiance The wearing of dreadlocks is very closely associated with ethnic allegiance, has biblical associa- tions (Leviticus 21:5), and is in deliberate opposition to the straighter hair of Caucasian persons. Interestingly, dreadlocks are no longer exclusive to people of direct African descent. Indeed there are ascetic groups within nearly every major religion that have at times worn their hair in this fashion. The way to form natural dreadlocks is to allow hair to grow in its natural pattern, without cutting, combing, or brushing, and washing it with pure water. During the 1960s and 1970s, Black Power and other black pride movements in the United States brought about the emergence of the Afro hairstyle. Men and women grew their hair out to signifi cant diameters away from their head as a rejection of Eurocentric standards of beauty, an embracing of African heritage and roots, and a confi rmation of the idea that “Black Is Beautiful.” The Afro is sometimes texturized so that it is not in its true African state, but slightly relaxed with a frizzier and more wiry appearance that springs out. Eventually, this hairstyle grew away from its political and cultural connotation and was embraced by the mainstream. Afros became popular even among those with loosely curled hair. Other hairstyles often worn by people of African descent are cornrows and braids, two styles that survived in the African diaspora. While recent years have brought about a move- ment among women of African descent to wear their hair naturally, most in the Western world have their hair relaxed or straightened (Fig. 21).
Haircare The “care” of hair is of greater social importance than perhaps is immediately apparent. It is a key component of the so-called “physical attractiveness phenomenon” and is the last aspect of our appearance we attend to in the mirror as we leave for work or play. Advice on haircare is an increasingly frequent part of the dermatologist/trichologist’s role. Patients with diffuse hair loss, the recovering alopecia areata, and post-chemotherapy patients all rightly expect cosmetic advice as part of holistic management.
FIGURE 21 Relaxed and re-curled hair in New York. 16 Gray
In recent decades, haircare products have been transformed from the functional but often unpleasant, to versatile and creative and quality-of-life enhancing. A haircare regimen includes a basic cleansing and conditioning product often with a number of variants to meet consumer needs. These products are generally used separately, and conditioning usage is much less than shampoo. Combination, or 2-in-1, products developed by Procter and Gamble in the late 1980s delivered for the fi rst time cleansing and conditioning benefi ts from a single bottle. Regimen ranges were classically designed for three hair types: normal, dry, or damaged hair. Subsequent generations of products were created to deliver a desired end-benefi t, such as “smooth and sleek,” “perfect curls,” and “color radiant.” A range of styling products to create long-lasting styles has also emerged to complement the cleansing and conditioning products. These can enhance or alter most common aesthetic styling problems. Foremost among these is the control of “volume,” either too little or too much. Managing frizzy hair is important and products for so-called “ethnic” hair are emerging.
Haircare Regimens A hair-care regimen can vary from zero to six products a day. While previous generations may have had nothing and relied solely on grooming, in an increasingly competitive society, the pro- longed wearing of unwashed, matted, and neglected hair is considered unusual at the very least. In some developed societies, bar soaps for washing the scalp, particularly among men, are still common. These harsh anionic surfactant systems are not just poor cleansers, but also lead to extensive calcium salt buildup in the hair and reduced grooming capability. Daily shampooing alone can be harmless to the hair shaft, and in itself can improve the ability to groom and style. Haircare products, in comparison to skin care are inexpensive and ubiquitous.
Shampoos Modern high-quality shampoos have evolved from agents that once merely and harshly removed grease (sebum), perspiration, environmental dirt, and dead corneocytess. In the twenty-fi rst century they contain agents that enhance the natural beauty of hair and mitigate the damage infl icted by the owners. Shampoos consist of three major components: primary surfactants for detergency and foaming power, secondary surfactants to improve and condition the hair, and additives that complete the formulation and add special aesthetic effects. The surfactants or detergents act by removing the dirt from the hair with a lipophilic component and transferring it to the rinse water with hydrophilic component.
Moisturizing Shampoos The latest generation of shampoos, designed for dry hair, can include essential oils such as petrolatum as well as the surfactant systems described above. They are orientated toward those with hair of African origin or hair that is excessively dry. They leave the hair feeling moistur- ized and easy to comb. These products are also designed to help weathered and colored hair. Originally there were no shampoos specifi cally designed for African hair. The prevailing belief was that a shampoo was a shampoo, and that anything available in the general market could be used for all hair types. However, African hair benefi ts from shampoos that contain mild cleansing agents (detergents) that help detangle the hair and are pH balanced in the range of 4.5–5.5. Shampoos formulated for other hair types may not help to detangle hair suffi ciently, contributing to combing damage. Variants for African hair can be purchased in North America and Southern Africa.
Conditioning Agents Conditioning hair is critical to its sustained integrity as it inevitably weathers over time. Chemi- cal and physical processing remove the outer lipid coating (the f-layer) and result in amino acid degradation in the cortex of up to 50%. Conditioners are substances that increase the manageability, shine, and moisture content of each hair shaft. Modern products are designed to provide one or more of the following func- McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 01
Human Hair 17 tions: increase the ease of wet and dry combing; smooth, seal and realign damaged areas of the hair shaft; minimize porosity; impart sheen and a silken feel to hair; provide some protection against thermal and mechanical damage; moisturize; add volume and body; and eliminate static electricity. Dry, woolly hair generally requires heavier deposits of conditioners than other hair types. The use of leave-in or “intensive” conditioners is growing. The use of moisture-retaining ingredients (humectants) such as panthenol, can be augmented by cationic ingredients (e.g., polyquarternium derivatives), which leave hair manageable. Treatment with polymeric conditioning agents that bond to the hair at points of damage also aid in improving resistance to breakage. Regular conditioning contributes signifi cantly to the preservation of the external architec- ture and internal chemistry of each hair shaft. Frequent chemical processing makes condition- ing even more important.
CONCLUSION Hair is indeed humankind’s crowning glory. It is not to be neglected as an evolutionary relic, but a clever tool of Mother Nature in the game of survival and mating success. Care of hair allows individuals to fully express their well-being. Modern high-quality cosmetic products allow the realization of that potential in a manner never before possible.
REFERENCES 1. Dawber RPR, Diseases of the Hair and Scalp. Malden, MA: Blackwell Science, 1997. 2. Dawber RPR, Messenger AG. Hair follicle structure, keratinisation and physical properties of hair. In: Dawber R, ed. Diseases of the Human Hair and Scalp. Oxford, Blackwell Science, 1997:23–50. 3. Drealos Z. Hair cosmetics. Dermatol Clin 1991; 9(1):19–27. 4. Ha T, Rees JL. Red hair--a desirable mutation? J Cosmet Dermatol 2002; 1(2):62–65. 5. Dawber RPR, Gummer CL. The color of hair. In: Dawber R, ed. Diseases of the Human Hair and Scalp. Oxford: Blackwell Science, 1997:408. 6. Feughelman M, Lyman DJ, Willis BK. The parallel helices of the intermediate fi laments of alpha- keratin. Int J Biol Macromol 2002; 30(2):95–96. 7. Gummer CL. Cosmetics and hair loss. Clin Exp Dermatol 2002; 27(5):418–421. 8. Harding RM, Fullerton SM, Griffi ths RC, et al. Archaic African and Asian lineages in the genetic ancestry of modern humans. Am J Hum Genet 1997; 60(4):772–789. 9. Lahr MM, Foley RA. Towards a theory of modern human origins: geography, demography, and diversity in recent human evolution. Am J Phys Anthropol 1998; (Suppl 27):137–176. 10. Mao X, Bigham AW, Mei R, et al. Measuring European population stratifi cation with microarray genotype data. Am J Hum Genet 2007; 80(5):948–956. 11. Bamshad M, Wooding S, Salisbury BA, Stephens JC. Deconstructing the relationship between genetics and race. Nat Rev Genet 2004; 5(8):598–609. 12. Mountain JL, Cavalli-Sforza LL. Inference of human evolution through cladistic analysis of nuclear DNA restriction polymorphisms. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1994; 91(14):6515–6519. 13. Pfaff CL, Barnholtz-Sloan J, Wagner JK, Long JC. Information on ancestry from genetic markers. enet Epidemiol 2004; 26(4):305–315. 14. Lindelof B, Forslind B, Hedblad MA, Kaveus U. Human hair form. Morphology revealed by light and scanning electron microscopy and computer aided three-dimensional reconstruction. Arch Dermatol 1988; 124(9):1359–1363. 15. Bernard BA. The biology of hair follicle. J Soc Biol 2005; 199(4):343–348. 16. Kajiura Y, Watanabe S, Itou T, et al. Structural analysis of human hair single fi bers by scanning microbeam SAXS. J Struct Biol 2006; 155(3):438–444. 17. Gray J. Reduction of skin hyperpigmentation-cosmetic considerations. RSM Press, 2007, ISBN 1 - 85315-7007-7. 18. Ridley M. The red queen:sex and the evolution of human nature. Original Publication by Penguin Books, Great Britain, 1993. Reprinted by HarperCollins Publishers, Inc, NY, NY 2003:277–306. 19. Franbourg A, Hallegot P, Baltenneck F, Toutain C, Leroy F. L’oreal Recherche, Clichy, France. Current research on ethnic hair. J Am Acad Dermatol 2003; 48(6 Suppl):S115–S119. McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 01 McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 02
2 Evaluation Techniques
Christopher L. Gummer Cider Solutions Ltd., Chilworth, Surrey, U.K.
INTRODUCTION Hair lends itself well to a variety of evaluation techniques. However, data are regularly misinter- preted due mainly to a lack of understanding of the hair’s environment. Hair is easily sampled, already fi xed, and is best studied with relatively simple tools available to every dermatologist. Prior to evaluation, the researcher must understand the relationship of the hair to its owner, the progression of changes that can occur on a normal head of hair, and the interplay of simple fol- licle biology. When a hair patient presents for the fi rst time the approach of the cosmetic scientist is often very different from that of the dermatologist. Where the dermatologist may look for the progression of symptoms to understand the disease process, the cosmetic scientist looks more to those habits and practices that may have contributed to the appearance of the hair. The dermatologist may look for the development of a disease leading to the current symptoms. In contrast, the cosmetic scientist will look to the hair shaft as a record of the previous treatments used by the patient. When combined, these two points of view can provide a powerful tool for the diagnosis of the many challenging symptoms presented by hair patients. It is often said that perception is reality. This is quite true for the hair patient. Their hair is constantly on display and is often perceived as a marker of either one’s health or attention to personal detail. It should be no surprise to the clinician that the patient may have a very dif- ferent perception of their hair problem than the clinician does. The hair follicle is considered to be a highly proliferative unit, which produces scalp hair at approximately 0.3 mm per day. However, from the patient’s point of view hair grows slowly and seems to take forever to grow to a cosmetically acceptable standard. At 1 cm per month, it may take a year for a woman to grow even a short, acceptable style. This growth rate assumes that the shaft is always in perfect condition and that the hair is of normal density and diameter Hair is on one’s head for a very long time! While this is an obvious statement, this fact is largely overlooked by hair patients. A vast diversity of hair fi bers, growth stages, cosmetic practices, and so on are present on any head on any given day. A hair shaft of shoulder-length will have been on the head for nearly 2 years, and each fi ber will have experienced a vast range of habits and practices, care, and trauma. All of these considerations will affect the overall appearance, condition, and style of the hair, as well as how the patient feels about their hair. Therefore, a broad understanding of haircare practices is essential to form a correct diagnosis and to manage patient expectations. When investigating the fi ne details of a patient’s hair from the root in the follicle through to the tip it is important to have a broad understanding of the large variety of observations that can be made on cosmetically normal hair. Hair shafts can be on the head for a considerable time and even perfectly normal, unadulterated hair will show a remarkable degree of variability. Once changed by various chemical and physical practices, new observations will become the expected norm for that hair type and should not be mistaken as markers of pathology. It is also important to be familiar with the appropriate investigative techniques and their value in add- ing to a diagnosis. Simple techniques often provide the most information.
HAIR IN TIME AND SPACE The generally accepted fi gures for a normal head of hair are a growth rate of 1cm per month, 10% of hairs in telogen and 100–150,000 hairs per head. While these numbers are open to debate, they serve to provide a good conceptual position for understanding a head of hair. It is McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 02
20 Gummer important to view the hair as a complex array of fi bers with different properties and behavior at different places in the array. If we were to shave a normal head and then measure the proper- ties of the array in time and space as the hair grew back, a number of differences soon become obvious. As hair emerges from the scalp the fi bers are held apart by the spatial arrangement of the follicles in the scalp. While the fi bers are short they cannot interact with each other. The short new hairs are stiff to the touch, rather like beard stubble. Once the fi bers attain a length of 1–2 cm they begin to interact. The tips of the fi bers now have a degree of freedom to move in three dimensions. As the hair grows progressively longer, the fi ber tips gain increasing freedom and can interact with more and more fi bers. Eventually, the hair will become long enough, e.g., 20 cm, so that with styling every fi ber has the potential to interact with every other fi ber on the head (Fig. 1). Interestingly, the hair now feels soft to the touch, even though the fundamental bending and frictional properties of the fi bers have not changed. Therefore, as the hair grows longer it forms an increasingly complex array. Even the terminology for this same set of fi bers changes depending on length, from prickly or stiff to soft and tangled. Tangles cannot occur in short hair. The complexity of the array is further compounded by the forth dimension of time. As each hair grows it will be subject to the traumas of everyday life, e.g., brushing, combing, washing, etc. Consequently, the basic properties are progressively, albeit subtly, changing. Most changes are so small that it would be diffi cult to measure differences over 1 or 2 cm. However, over 10 cm, equivalent to 10 months of wear and tear, the differences in both
FIGURE 1 As hair grows longer the array becomes increasingly complex. Each hair now has the potential to interact with every other hair. McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 02
Evaluation Techniques 21 external and internal properties are quite obvious. Increased friction, changes in cutical scale structure, and reduced tensile and torsional strength are all evident. When more drastic changes are made within this period, such as perms, coloring, or relaxing, then measurable changes to the fi bers can be quite remarkable. Consequently, the overall affect on the array is much more noticeable. Understanding the hair array would be relatively simple if any change to a fi ber repre- sented a single event of no further consequence. However, remembering that hair will stay on the head for some time, an intervention such as a perm or color will change the physico-chemi- cal properties of that fi ber until either the fi ber is lost or the changes have grown beyond the length of the style and the hair is cut. Chemical changes, in particular, and aggressive physical changes, will change the rate at which the fi ber weathers. In turn this increases friction and, as a result, the degree of interaction between adjacent fi bers. There is, fortunately, a distinct advantage to the hair remaining on the head for so long. It offers an additional historical means of interrogating the patient’s history, either real or perceived. For example “all my hair fell out and it has taken 3 months to grow back” would be in confl ict with the presence of mid- to shoulder-length hair. While statements of “all my hair . . .” are typically an exaggeration, one would still expect to observe signifi cant numbers of hairs, complete with anagen tips, at 5 cm or less. Similarly, the hair shaft provides a unique record of cosmetic treatments. “I haven’t permed or colored my hair for over 3 months” is relatively easy to check. Most people are aware of the unsightly root growth experienced by regular hair coloring (Fig. 2). Rather than being a problem, this growth line provides a unique piece of diagnostic evidence for the last coloring event. Consideration should be given to the patient’s age as habits and practices will vary (Table 1). Permanent hair coloring under the age of 16 is unusual, whereas it dominates in the over-40 female population. Hair bleaching is common between the ages of 18 and 30, with more natural colors used as age increases. Temporary hair straightening for teenagers and women in their twenties has become a fashion essential. In ethnic circles voluminous Afro styles have given way to elegant, chemically straightened hair. And in all groups, style length progressively decreases with age. Fashion and social acceptance are powerful dicta- tors of hairstyles.
FIGURE 2 The typical “growth” line of a regular user of hair colors demonstrates both when the hair was last colored and the natural hair color. McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 02
22 Gummer
TABLE 1 Changes in Habits and Practices Refl ect Age, Fashion, and Social Acceptance Age (yrs) 0–12 12–16 16–35 35–60 60+ General All haircare Hairstyles High body and Concern over Acceptable all- trends practices and change in length. image awareness; gray hair over gray styles dictated Haircare and fashion-conscious. dominates Short styles by parents or temporary Experimental Haircare regimen schools alterations under period begins designed to teenager’s Haircare regimen refl ect lifestyle control ranges from ideal and hair type to poor Shorter styles with increasing age Hair color Natural color Temporary colors Fashion colors “Natural” shade Some natural, (semi / demi including permanent permanent permanents) high-lift blondes colors to shades Color chemistry = cover gray permanent, demi’s and semi’s Hairstyle Temporary Temporary Temporary and Permanent styles Permanent styles, bands, styles with high permanent styles (perms/ styles (perms/ braids, corn incidence of (perms/relaxers) relaxers) on relaxers) rows, styling heated on hair of all progressively products straighteners lengths shorter hair
COSMETIC PRACTICES AFFECTING FIBER STRUCTURE, FUNCTION, AND APPEARANCE All cosmetic practices affect the fi ber structure and function of hair and whereas all are done to benefi t the appearance of the owner, none truly benefi t the hair fi ber (1–3). In a very visual world where individuals are judged on personal appearance, it is essential for hair to look its very best. To achieve fashion and social acceptance, extreme modifi cation of the hair shaft is often required. Even typical day-to-day cosmetic regimens have a subtle, yet accepted, nega- tive effect on hair. There is little doubt that hair that is clean, conditioned, and manageable refl ects positively on the owner. To achieve healthy-looking hair requires the use of surfac- tants that, over time, elute lipids and proteins from the hair. It has long been recognized that regular washing steadily elutes proteinaceous material from the endocuticle, which results in an increase in the number of holes under each cuticle cell toward the tip of the fi ber (Fig. 3). Regular grooming causes physical damage to the cuticle and hyper-extension of the cortex. However, routine shampooing and combing form an acceptable balance between small nega- tive changes to the fi ber and large visual benefi ts to both the hairstyle and the owner. Indeed, it is only with the advent of modern shampoo and conditioner formulations that the individual can achieve the desired hair appearance for the days or years that a fi ber remains on the head. It is only when the more aggressive physical and chemical processes are conducted on the hair that the rate of damage exceeds both the durability of hair and the replacement of fi bers. Some women may even believe that they cannot grow long hair. In truth they can, by matching the cosmetic damage to the rate of growth and not exceeding the parameters. If care is not taken, the end effects are rapid hair breakage, loss of shine, tangling, and occasionally, temporary loss of hair density and length. On very rare occasions permanent scarring and hair loss can occur (Table 2).
Permanent Hair Coloring The aim of this section is to look at the changes induced in the hair fi ber by coloring processes and not the detailed chemistry of hair coloring. However, a brief overview gives a greater understanding of how and why the fundamental structure of the fi ber is affected. Permanent hair colors result in a change to the natural color of hair that, although subject to fading, will only be completely lost when the hair is cut or re-colored. This class of products also includes products designed to lighten, or bleach, the natural color of hair. Permanent colorants typically McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 02
Evaluation Techniques 23
FIGURE 3 Elution of the endocuticle by routine washing steadily increases toward the tip of the hair fi ber. contain three components: two for coloring and one for conditioning. To change the natural color of hair the following steps must occur: (i) remove or lighten the natural hair color, i.e., with bleach melanin, and (ii) form new colors (dye couples) within the hair cortex. To achieve the color, low pH hydrogen peroxide (developer) is mixed with high pH dyes (tint). The acti- vated or alkaline hydrogen peroxide both bleaches melanin in the cortex and develops the new colors from the tint. In particular, blonde shades are not simply achieved by bleaching melanin and they require the formation of new dye colors to offset red and brass tones left by the incom- plete degradation of melanin. As alkaline hydrogen peroxide diffuses through the fi ber it encounters transition metal ions that occur naturally in hair, as well as those acquired from the environment, e.g., copper absorbed from tap water. Rapid degradation of peroxide forms the highly damaging and non- specifi c hydroxyl radical. A fundamental challenge to the colorant formulator is accessing and decolorizing mela- nin that occurs only in the cortex while minimizing damage to the rest of the fi ber. This presents two problems. First, alkaline peroxide must travel through the cuticle and will cause damage en route. Second, the path of the peroxide is not specifi c to melanin. Due to the relatively low concentration of melanin in Caucasian hair there is a greater chance that the peroxide will interact with the hair structure and damage the proteins in the cortex than that it will interact with melanin. As a result, permanent hair colors cause measurable damage to the tensile and torsional properties of the hair fi ber. Of greater importance is the effect on the hair surface. All unmodifi ed cuticle cells are covered in a covalently bound fatty acid on the outer aspect of the cell. The fatty acid 18-methyl eicosanoic acid, termed the f-layer (4), is readily cleaved by perhydrolysis, which changes the surface of the cell from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. The consequence of this change is two-fold. First, when the hair is wet the hair fi bers are held tightly together by fi lms of water. This makes the hair diffi cult to detangle. Second, many conventional silicone-based conditioners, which are typically hydrophobic in nature, fail to deposit on the hair and as a result provide little or no protection. Fortunately, the level of damage is relatively low and can be managed as is evidenced by the numerous examples of individuals with long hair who have used colorants multiple times. But it is essential for patients to understand that the hair is changed by the coloring process McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 02
24 Gummer and, while its appearance is enhanced its properties are altered. Failure of patients to increase conditioning, which will counteract these changes, will lead to rapid weathering and break- age and is often typifi ed by trichorrhexis nodosa. The patient must be encouraged to reduce the frequency of coloring and the amount of styling, while greatly increasing the amount of conditioning.
High-Lift Bleaches The peroxide blonde hair color worn by Marilyn Monroe cannot be achieved with hydrogen peroxide alone. The addition of ammonium persulphate, which is usually supplied as a pow- der, is required to completely decolorize melanin and achieve the platinum blonde effect. This process causes damage of a much higher magnitude than conventional permanent colors and hence the degree of haircare must be suitably increased. Permanent colors and high-lift bleaches are biologically aggressive treatments that are well-tolerated by the hair when utilized properly. Problems such as hair breakage and straw- like appearance can result from a lack of understanding of how the hair is changed by these processes. A patient with shoulder-length hair will require treatments once every six to eight weeks. As a result, the ends of the fi bers will have experienced signifi cantly more chemical and physical insult compared to the roots.
Permanent Changes in Hair Shape Two main practices are involved in permanently changing the shape of individual fi bers, i.e., permanent waves and relaxers. While different chemistry is used by these two processes, both have a similar clinical impact on the fi ber. Permanent waves, generally used to increase curls, are based on alkaline ammonium thyo- glycollate. This reduces disulphide bonds in the cuticle and cortex and allows hydrogen perox- ide to reform bonds in their new position. As covalent bonds adopt new positions, the extensive network of salt bridges and hydrogen bonds do so as well. Although the process and formula- tions are quite different, it should be remembered that thyoglycollates are also the bases for effective depilatories. When used for hair removal the reductive step is left to progress further and is not neutralized by hydrogen peroxide. There are a number of recorded cases of severe hair breakage following permanent waves, no doubt caused by poor control of the reductive step. Straightening or relaxing techniques are designed to remove curls. These processes use high-pH sodium or guanidine hydroxide. Those that use the latter are termed no-lye relaxers. Most relaxers are used to straighten curly hair, in which case the term relaxer is something of a misnomer. It suggests the hair is in perhaps a “less stressed” state than before! In order to straighten the hair it must also be pulled straight to form its new shape, so straight hair is not a relaxed state of a curl. Relaxers or straighteners require additional tension to pull the fi ber straight on already weak hair, and may also involve the use of hot irons resulting in hair that is particularly weak but far from relaxed. One should remember that high concentrations of sodium hydroxide are a useful tool for dissolving hair for analytical tests. Relaxers left on for too long can certainly cause widespread hair breakage close to the scalp as well as extensive scalp irritation. Both permanent waves and relaxers remove the f-layer from the fi ber and damage inter- cellular cements. In addition, changes in the extractable proteins and amino acid profi les are always evident. These combined effects result in fi bers that are hydrophilic, of reduced tensile and torsional strength, are prone to tangling, and show an increased rate of weathering (Table 2).
IDENTIFYING COSMETIC DAMAGE TO THE HAIR SHAFT Due to the wide variety of treatments and the fact that a cosmetic regimen takes place virtually every day, it is often diffi cult to ascribe changes to one particular treatment unless the event is catastrophic. Many clinicians are aware of personal injury litigation in which obvious hair changes have taken place following a major hair event such as a perm or bleach. In contrast, McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 02
Evaluation Techniques 25
TABLE 2 Changes in Hair Properties Caused by a Range of Normal Cosmetic Treatments Weathering vs. Treatment Visible hair surface Internal changes Tensile strength shampooed hair Shampoo Intact f-layer Surfactant deposition Very slight decrease No increase in Small increase in with increasing cysteic acid metal content, esp. length calcium Some protein loss Permanent F-layer removed Increased cysteic acid Reduced Cuticle weathers colors Increased cysteic Increased metal (Ca, faster but is (includes acid = more Cu) content dependent on the demi- negative charge Increased protein loss haircare regimen permanents) Increased metal Reduced cystine (Ca, Cu) content Melanin partially removed “High-lift” F-layer removed Much increased Signifi cantly Cuticle weathers bleaches Increased cysteic cysteic acid reduced much faster and usually acid = more Increased metal (Ca, lifts; dependent on persulphate- negative charge Cu) content care regimen based Increased metal Increased protein loss Straw-like appearance (Ca, Cu) content Reduced cystine Brittle ends, split Melanin removed ends, tangling Permanent F-layer removed Increased mixed Signifi cantly Cuticle weathers wave Slight increase in disulphides reduced faster and lifts but cysteic acid Increased lanthionine is dependent on Increased protein loss care regimen Reduced cystine Prone to tangles Relaxers F-layer removed Increased mixed Signifi cantly Rapid weathering (lye and Cell membranes disulphides reduced dependent on care no-lye) damaged/ Increased lanthionine regimen removed Increased protein loss Requires extreme Reduced cystine care Possible breaks mid-shaft Longitudinal splits (African hair type)
matted hair, an equally catastrophic event, may be the result of treatments conducted more than 6 months prior to the event and can result from a failure to adopt an appropriate cosmetic regimen. Unraveling a patient’s cosmetic story can be diffi cult. There are, however, a number of clinical markers that will point the clinician to poor cosmetic practices.
Trichorrexhis Nodosa Investigation: When numerous fi bers are affected, small white spots are easily seen on the hair with the naked eye and can be confi rmed with a hand lens. Transmitted or plane polarized light microscopy shows characteristic focal burst along the fi ber or brush breaks where the node has parted. Additional observations should be made of the apparently normal parts of the fi ber to rule out any predisposing conditions, such as pili annulati or pili torti, that may previously have gone unnoticed. While it is important to exclude any underlying pathology or metabolic changes, it is unlikely that a patient who previously had normal hair will have developed signifi cantly weaker hair. It must be remembered that where trichorrhexis nodes appear toward the tips on longer fi bers, that part of the hair was actually formed many months before the patient pre- sented with trichorrexhis nodosa. It is, therefore, unlikely that a fundamental fi ber weakness has “grown in.” It is most probable that the trichorrehexis nodes are a result of cosmetic prac- tices. These practices may create only minimal damage to the fi ber. However, the combination of insults and insuffi cient care may result in catastrophic fi ber damage. In order to understand McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 02
26 Gummer the severity of a patient’s cosmetic regimen it may be useful to measure the distance from the scalp to the fi rst onset of trichorrhexis nodosa as an indication of how long the best part of the fi ber can withstand the current level of trauma. It is probable that a chemical (permanent wave) or thermal (tongs) insult is indicated in the process. The current fashion trend for per- fectly straight hair has spawned a number of treatments and straightening irons that claim to be good for the hair. The author has observed an increase in trichorrhexis nodosa among young females who are seemingly “wedded” to their straightening irons.
Bubble Hair Investigation: Routine light microscopy, or a hand lens, reveals swelling and honeycomb-like structures at the broken, distal end of the fi ber (5). They are more easily observed when the hair has been immersed. Very small (~5 micron) dome-like protrusions on cuticle scales are com- mon on normal hair, though diffi cult to see by light microscopy, and should not be confused with bubble hair.
“Sudden Onset” Hair Loss This is characterized by a perception of hair loss that actually results from increased hair breakage often very close to the scalp (6). The patient presents with a single episode of claimed hair loss that may affect either the whole of the scalp or one of more poorly defi ned areas. When associated with a specifi c chemical treatment, hair breakage often begins several days after the causative procedure. Traction alopecia or other hair pulling dystrophies should also be excluded. Investigation: True hair loss from the follicle rarely, if ever, occurs due to cosmetic prac- tices. If present, then associated skin infl ammation or scarring would be expected. Close inspec- tion of the scalp may reveal short, broken fi bers. Routine light microscopy of the shed fi bers normally shows a fracture or trichorrhexis nodosa brush break at the proximal end. The distal end can present either as damaged, or often as a clean scissor cut, particularly when a haircut has preceded a chemical treatment.
Matting or Tangling Even hair in perfect condition is prone to tangling, especially when wet. Obviously, short hair is not affected. Severe tangling or matting, which may be impossible to unravel, can occur in hair approaching shoulder length or longer and is an indication of both poor hair condition and poor handling of the hair. As seen with all chemical treatments the hair becomes more hydro- philic. Wet keratin is higher in friction. Progressive damage, subsequent to chemical treatments, makes fi bers higher in friction and rougher to the touch. Consequently the hair is more likely to tangle or mat. In extreme cases it is termed “bird’s-nest hair.” Unfortunately, there is little point in attempting to unravel the tangles as it will take an inordinate amount of time and the condition of the hair means it will be prone to further matting. The best approach is to advise on a high quality cut and counsel on the time it will take to regrow the hair. Matting that requires a patient to present to a clinician is a single catastrophic event. It will suddenly occur and may, or may not, coincide with a change in cosmetic products. Low- conditioning shampoos, while not a cause, can exacerbate the situation. However, the patient may have had some degree of pre-warning with small tangles or knots appearing at the ends of their hair during routine shampooing and grooming. These are typical in chemically damaged hair and appear to be “understood” by most consumers. Matting typically affects a single loca- tion but involves many, many adjacent fi bers and hence may have extensive involvement on the head. The site of matting is invariably at the back of the head and typically occurs during the washing or conditioning step and only when the hair is wet. The location is due primarily to the diffi culty in reaching and handling the hair when shampooing, such that the hair is piled up leading to massive fi ber-to-fi ber interactions. Investigation: Matting is always obvious to the naked eye and requires no further inves- tigative techniques. The initial predisposing factor, e.g., chemical or thermal treatment leading to hair damage, may have occurred many months before. In and of itself it is unlikely to cause the hair to mat. However, it is possible that there is no history of such treatments as even poorly McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 02
Evaluation Techniques 27 handled normal hair will mat. The actual matting event is unlikely to be related to any particu- lar product use.
INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES FOR THE CLINICIAN There is a wide range of investigative techniques readily available to the clinician, but they should be assessed as to when and where they should be used. The principal question to ask is, “What additional value does the investigation bring to the diagnosis and treatment of the patient?” followed by, “What are the typical characteristics of this patient’s hair type?” For example, cross-sectional shape, degree of curl, color, and texture vary according to racial origin. Each patient represents a consumer group adopting typical habits and practices, all of which may be considered “normal” for that individual but will have a defi nite and visible impact on the hair. An appreciation of the patient as a consumer is essential before further analysis is undertaken. This section is designed to explore the available techniques in order of “usefulness” to the clinician. An important point to remember is that nature has produced in hair a highly cross-linked protein sample that is easy to harvest in quantity. It does not require additional fi xation and is easily stored and transported in plain envelopes. Although hair samples will degrade slowly in both visible and UV light, the rate of change is remarkably slow and unlikely to present a prob- lem. When sampled, it is best kept in order with all the roots at the same end. During sampling it is easy to damage the hair as follows:
1. Crimping the fi ber (7). The use of forceps to pluck the hair can easily squash the fi ber lead- ing to apparent fl at sides or indentations on the fi ber. Longitudinal ridges or “fl utes” are often found on normal hair, but one should always be concerned about focal indentations. 2. Stretching the fi ber when extracting the hair root. Pulling hair fi bers will cause the cuticle to “stand up” giving the impression of higher levels of damage when viewed by techniques such as scanning electron microscopy. Although this may be unavoidable, parallel, cut sam- ples can be used to provide a truer picture of the hair surface (Fig. 4). 3. Root damage on extraction. During sampling, both the hair bulb and the proximal end of the shaft may be damaged. The bulb is often distorted and sometimes termed dystrophic. One should only consider the bulb to be dystrophic if the hair attached to the bulb is malformed. A normal hair shaft will derive from a normal bulb and should indicate that a bulb abnor- mality was induced during sampling. 4. Damage to the proximal shaft, still within the follicle, appears as rolled-back cuticle scales caused as the hair cuticle is pulled against the opposing inner root sheath cuticle. The speed of the pluck and the number of fi bers with attached outer root sheaths will affect the num- ber of fi bers showing this damage. The resulting image should not be confused with loose- anagen syndrome (Fig. 5).
FIGURE 4 SEM picture of raised hair cuticle caused by over-stretching the fi ber. McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 02
28 Gummer
FIGURE 5 SEM of the hair cuticle within the follicle. The soft scales are pulled past the opposing inner root sheath cuticle causing them to roll backwards. This is a common feature when the hair is plucked without the root sheaths.
Light Microscopy A number of techniques are included within the category of light microscopy.
Transmitted Light Microscopy A conventional compound microscope is suffi cient for the majority of hair work. Most obser- vations are conducted below x40 objective magnifi cation. In order to minimize the number of samples to prepare, hair is fi rst mounted dry under large cover slips. Tape can be used to secure the cover slip at either end. Due to the thickness of the hair shaft and optical interference from the hair surface it may be diffi cult to resolve very sharp images. However, damaged fi ber ends, brush breaks, tichorrhexis nodosa, bubble hair, and changes in fi ber shape such as pili torti are all easily observed. Transmitted light microscopy in liquids is shown in Figures 6 and 7. Due to the difference in refractive index between dry hair, air, and glass, combined with the thickness of the sample it is diffi cult to see beyond the hair surface. The addition of either distilled water or immersion oil between the cover slip and slide removes most of the refractive index differences. Water is the liquid of choice, as this can be easily instilled by capillary action along the edge of a dry mount slide. Water also has little effect on the fi ber should it be required for storage or further investigation. Using a liquid provides more detail of the cortex in conditions such as bubble hair or pili annulati.
Polarized Light Microscopy This is an important tool, although it is rarely diagnostic in hair conditions. Perhaps the one exception is in the identifi cation of “tiger tail” hair for conditions such as trichothiodystrophy
FIGURE 6 (See color insert.) Typical light microscope picture of the hair surface. Although the cuticle is visible, little information is gained from the inside of the fi ber. McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 02
Evaluation Techniques 29
FIGURE 7 Light microscope picture of the hair immersed in water. The medulla is clearly visible. Differences in the appearance of the medulla are due to the interaction of light with spaces of different sizes. The appearance may change with the inclusion of water.
(Fig. 8). However, polarized light has one distinct use—it often shows abnormalities in different colors making them more obvious to the observer (Fig. 9). The hair fi ber cortex is naturally bi-refringent due to the longitudinal organization of the cortex. Occasionally this is obscured by multiple dichroic colors appearing on the hair surface due to surface damage. When this occurs on many fi bers one should suspect some additional cosmetic procedure, although it is not uncommon to see on the occasional fi ber in a sample.
Fluorescent Light Transmitted Microscopy This has relatively little use except for fungal infections of the hair shaft. The technique is fur- ther complicated by bleaches or colors that both change and add to the natural fl uorescence of hair. Note that hair dyes are selectively fl uorescent.
Refl ected Light Microscopy This can be used to confi rm conditions such as pili annulati but has limited use at higher mag- nifi cations. The best use of refl ected light is with the naked eye or a hand lens (loop). Overall, low-power refl ected light and routine transmitted light microscopy are the most powerful and easy-to-use investigative tools available to the clinician, although they do take time and some small skill to master.
Other Investigative Techniques The following techniques can be used and may be of particular value to forensic or investiga- tive scientists:
FIGURE 8 (See color insert.) Polarized light micrograph of trichothiodystrophy showing a typical “tiger tail” appearance. McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 02
30 Gummer
FIGURE 9 (See color insert.) Unpolarized and polarized images of a telogen root. The polarized image reveals more information of the keratinization pattern within the telogen club root.
Tensile Strength The cosmetic industry places a great deal of emphasis hair strength, yet the goal of fi nding an ingredient that strengthens hair in a consumer-noticeable way is as yet unachieved. However, for the clinician tensile strength is of little value except to prove the obvious, i.e., that damaged hair is weaker, or to disprove a claimed patient history. It is well known that chemical treat- ments weaken the hair fi ber. In experienced hands the shape of the tensile stress–strain curve can give insight into how the fi ber has been treated. But for the clinician who has been told that the hair has been permed or straightened it is no surprise to fi nd a reduced tensile strength. Tensile strength measurements also require large sample numbers (~100 fi bers), diameter mea- surements for each fi ber, and a high degree of expertise. Hence, they are of little added value to clinicians.
Amino Acid Analysis Hair is composed of 20 to 21 amino acids. Analysis of hair requires expertise, as amino acid values may be changed by the preparation technique. The amino acid analysis method is only available at specialized institutes and universities. Although of little value as a diagnostic tool, it can be useful in litigation cases for corroborating patient histories, i.e., to prove whether excessive treatment has occurred or treatment was denied. For example, hair straightened using chemical relaxers typically shows an increase in lanthionine, an amino acid typically absent in normal hair. Similarly, cysteic acid, normally present at approx.< 0.5 mol % is increased in col- ored or oxidatively bleached hair. In rare cases of excessive bleaching very high levels of cysteic acid will result (Table 3). The technique has important research value to understand chemical mechanisms or hair alteration.
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) This technique provides excellent pictures for publications and talks, but its use in daily prac- tice is questionable. Virtually all clinical hair conditions can be identifi ed using light micros- copy combined with an understanding of where, and how long, the hair sample has been on the head. SEM simply provides better pictures! If SEM is used for investigation it is essential to have a detailed knowledge of “normal hair,” which contains many surface irregularities that are often dependent on the racial origin of the hair, the hair length, or treatments that have been used. SEM does, however, provide insight into exactly what is happening to the surface topog- raphy of hair as it becomes damaged by different treatments or by routine weathering. For example, the progression of damage at the cuticle edge, progressing from tiny chips to larger areas of scale loss, is easily observed. Longitudinal cracking, typical in the curly hair of African descent, can be observed long before the hair breaks. And with skill, even the type of instru- ment used to cut the hair can be identifi ed, within reason. SEM can deliver convincing pictures that are far easier to comprehend than transmitted light micrographs. The increased depth of fi eld obtainable with the SEM makes interpretation of images far easier than with light micrographs. However, this has to be balanced against the McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 02
Evaluation Techniques 31
TABLE 3 Amino Acid Values of Normal Hair Compared with Over-Highlighted Hair Showing an Atypical Increase in Cysteic Acid and Large Decrease in Cysteine. Most Other Amino Acids Remain Unchanged Amino acid analysis (mol/100 mol) Normal hair Treated hair Cysteic acid 0.42 12.94 Aspartic acid 5.88 5.91 Threonine 7.81 7.77 Serine 11.40 10.97 Glutamic acid 13.19 13.07 Proline 7.99 7.38 Glycine 6.22 5.96 Alanine 4.95 4.89 Valine 6.10 5.73 Cysteine 10.49 2.31 Methionine 0.50 0.14 Isoleucine 3.02 2.87 Leucine 6.84 6.66 Tyrosine 2.44 1.86 Phenylalanine 1.80 1.78 Ornithine 0.03 0.03 Lysine 2.82 2.57 Histidine 0.91 0.60 Arginine 7.01 6.46 Lanthionine 0.10 time, effort, and expertise required for SEM investigations. With a detailed knowledge of hair cosmetics and the materials designed to deposit on hair, SEM can show product distribution, fi ber-to-fi ber interactions, and over-deposition and product interactions. Where patients com- plain of “over-deposition” or “build-up” the results can usually be found on the hair as coat- ings that obscure the cuticle pattern. However, by the very nature of many cosmetic products, these coatings are intentional. There are also a number of surface deposits that are not easily visible with conventional SEM techniques. For example, the very fi ne deposition of silicones from 2-in-1 shampoos or conventional conditioners is not visible. Due to the variety of cosmetic and treatment products and their means of application, the results are easily and regularly misinterpreted (Figs. 10 and 11).
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) This technique is really of value only for research purposes (8,9). Hair is a diffi cult material to prepare for high quality TEM studies, requiring skill and technical expertise particularly in the
FIGURE 10 SEM of trichorrexhis nodosa. This striking picture provides little additional information for diagnosis compared to a general light micrograph. McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 02
32 Gummer
FIGURE 11 SEM can provide additional information on surface deposits, in this case hair sprays, but requires careful interpretation. cutting stages. Hair does not require fi xing prior to viewing by TEM except for detailed stud- ies of cell membrane lipids with stains such as ruthenium tetroxide. All other stain methods do not require pre-fi xing; indeed, fi xation can often induce additional artifacts. TEM studies have proven to be of value in understanding the fi ne structure and organization of the hair. Similarly, they have shown the exact changes in the fi ber resulting from genetic diseases. How- ever, as with all investigations, detailed knowledge of normal hair is a prerequisite to avoiding misinterpretation.
Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) This excellent research tool for studying surface structures is of little value to the clinician. The very high-quality images require skilled operators and interpretation. The large sample variation observed when using SEM is further amplifi ed by the very small areas available to AFM (Fig. 12).
Analytical Chemistry The use of wet analytical chemistry to analyze hair has increased in recent years, especially as a tool for identifying drug abuse (10), poisoning (including date rape drugs) (11), and analy- sis for exposure to toxic material (12). As hair is constantly exposed to the environment, it is important that analysis is conducted by experts in the fi eld as it is too easy to draw erroneous conclusions.
Surface Analysis A number of methods, including X-ray (13), TOF-SIMS (14), proton probe, and so on have been used to study hair surface chemistry with particular regard to the deposition mechanisms of various compounds. It is unlikely that these will be of value to the clinician except in specifi c
FIGURE 12 Atomic force image of new hair cuticle showing distinctive ridges of unknown origin or function. McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 02
Evaluation Techniques 33 areas of research or in areas of litigation. Again, these methods require a high degree of exper- tise in both sample handling and interpretation. One also has to keep in mind that the sample size is typically very small and may not be indicative of the whole head.
SUMMARY Detailed knowledge of the wide variety of investigative techniques is not a prerequisite for the practicing dermatologist. However, a strong knowledge of hair biology, consumer habits, and practices combined with a simple compound microscope is essential. For any other disease process a clinician would expect quite remarkable changes over periods of 1–2 years. Yet the hair, which in some cases is on the head for an even longer period is looked at as a whole and with little regard for the myriad changes that might have occurred over that time. Care should be taken to make sure the patient’s description of the problem actually fi ts with the biology and the haircare treatments. Overall, the hair presents a unique clinical record that is easily sampled, stored, and explored. With some expertise and a logical, sequential approach, it is easily read and interpreted.
REFERENCES 1. Robbins CR. Chemical and Physical Behavior of Human Hair. 4th ed. New York: Springer-Verlag, 2002. 2. Zviak C. The Science of Hair Care. NY:Informa, 1986. 3. Olsen EA. Disorders of Hair Growth, Diagnosis and Treatment. NY: McGraw-Hill Inc., 1994. 4. Breakspear S, Smith JR, Luengo G. Effect of the covalently linked fatty acid 18-MEA on the nanotribology of hair’s outermost surface. J Struct Biol 2005; 149(3):235–242. 5. Gummer CL. Bubble hair: a cosmetic abnormality caused by brief, focal heating of damp hair fi bers. BJD 1994; 131:901–903. 6. Gummer CL. Cosmetics and hair loss. Clin Exp Dermatol 2002; special issue. 7. Bentley-Philips B, Bayles MAH. A previously undescribed hereditary hair anomaly (pseudo- monilethrix). Brit J Dermatol 89:159. 8. Gummer CL, Price VH, Dawber RPR. Trichothiodystrophy: an ultrastructural and electron histochemical study of the hair shaft. BJD 1984; 439–449. 9. Gummer CL, Dawber RPR. Monilethrix: an electron microscopic and electron histochemical study. BJD 1981; 105:529–541. 10. Stout PR, Ropero-Miller JD, Baylor MR, Mitchell JM. External contamination of hair with cocaine: evaluation of external cocaine contamination and development of performance-testing materials. J Anal Toxicol 2006; 30(8):490–500. 11. Negrusz A, et al. Deposition of 7-aminofl unitrazepam and fl unitrazepam in hair after a single dose of Rohypnol. J Forensic Sci 2001; 46(5):1143–1151. 12. Adams JB, Holloway CE, George F, Quig D. Analyses of toxic metals and essential minerals in the hair of Arizona children with autism and associated conditions, and their mothers. Biol Trace Elem Res 2006; 110(3):193–209. 13. Kempson IM, Skinner WM, Kirkbride KP. Advanced analysis of metal distributions in human hair. Environ Sci Technol 2006; 40(10): 3423–28. 14. Ruetsch SB, Kamath YK. Penetration of cationic conditioning compounds into hair fi bers: a TOF-SIMS approach. J Cosmet Sci. 2005; 56(5):323–330. McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 02 McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 03
3 Photographic Imaging in Hair Loss
Douglas Canfi eld Canfi eld Imaging Systems, Fairfi eld, New Jersey, U.S.A.
INTRODUCTION Photography has become an important tool in managing patients with hair loss (1). The ability to photographically document a patient’s condition and monitor change is especially useful in recording the subtle changes often associated with hair loss. Hair loss experts rely on vari- ous photographic methods to manage their patients, and both minoxidil and fi nasteride have relied on hair imaging to support both their primary and secondary effi cacy endpoints for FDA approval (2,3). Photographic methods for documenting hair loss usually include descriptors, such as non-invasive, global, semi-invasive, macro, epiluminenscence microscopy and phototricho- gram.
GLOBAL PHOTOGRAPHY Global photographs of the scalp are clinically relevant because they represent an accurate record of the cosmetic state of the patient (4). Global photographic methods range from a snap- shot with a point-and-shoot camera to highly standardized serial photographs taken with reg- istration equipment. Any method requires great care to ensure that the only difference between photographic time points is the change (or lack of) in scalp coverage. Global photography requires a patient with clean, dry hair and a detail-oriented tech- nician able to take the time to comb and prepare the hair precisely the same way at each offi ce visit. If possible, the patient should be advised to maintain the same hairstyle and hair color to further control confusing variables. This is especially important in patients with curly hair, since small changes in hair length may have a dramatic effect on the perception of scalp coverage. The challenges associated with patient preparation are numerous. Oily and/or wet hair increase refl ection and also cause the hair to clump, revealing more scalp and portraying the patient as having less hair. If the hair is not recorded precisely the same way at follow-up visits, photographs will record exposure of different areas of the scalp making assessment diffi cult or even impossible. Extraneous information, such as shirt collars and distracting backgrounds, should be eliminated or masked. Backgrounds should be medium color density with blue being the most popular owing to its pleasing contrast to skin tones. Background paper is readily available and can be hung on an open wall in the exam room (behind the door is often a con- venient area). Felt is also a good option since it does not crease or wrinkle as easily as paper. A drape cloth is recommended to mask shirt collars. For male pattern hair loss, four global views are usually recommended and are demon- strated in Figure 1: the vertex, top scalp, frontal, and temporal views. For the vertex view, the hair should be combed out like the spokes of a wheel; for the top scalp view, the hair should be center parted; in the frontal and temporal views, the hair should be pulled back to expose the hairline. The most valuable views for assessing male pattern hair loss are the vertex and top scalp view, and for female pattern hair loss, the top scalp view (5). Additional side and back views may be useful when assessing other hair loss conditions. Depending on the coarseness, length, and style of the hair, combing can be quite a chal- lenge, and the time required to comb the hair, especially the center part for the top scalp view, can be extensive. When photographing patients with alopecia areata, the use of hair clips can help expose the areas of scalp involvement. McMichael PTR 01/21/08 Chapter 03
36 Canfi eld
FIGURE 1 (Left to right) Vertex view, hair combed away like the spokes of a wheel. Top scalp view, hair carefully center parted. Frontal view, hair combed back to reveal hairline. Temporal view, hair combed away to expose hair line.
CAMERA AND LIGHTING CONTROL Variability in lighting is one of the most criticized aspects when comparing before-and-after photos. Angle and distance of the light source to the patient must be optimized and fi xed. The most popular cameras in clinical practice are point-and-shoot cameras, which typically have an integrated fl ash and zoom lens. While this is not an ideal scenario there are several variables that can become fi xed for your hair photos: