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| Fig. 20.7 Alopecia mucinosa occurring in a patient with mycosis fungoides. (Courtesy of Fitzsimons Army Medical Center teaching files.) |
Black children are particularly prone to acquiring tinea capitis. - Hair shaft fragility disorders are also common among African-American women because of certain hair grooming techniques using chemical hair “relaxers.”
These products are effective in straightening kinky or curly hair but are caustic and, with continued use, the hair shaft becomes frayed. The foci of fraying have a special appearance termed trichorrhexis nodosa, which looks like the bristles of two paint brushes that have been pushed together (Fig. 20-6). The hair shafts easily fracture at the points of trichorrhexis nodosa, leaving abnormally short hair shafts behind. Patients have scalp hair of very uneven length and may complain that their hair “falls out” with combing or “won’t grow.” In fact, their hair is growing but breaking off.
