Ringed hair disease

What it is

A rare isolated, benign hair shaft abnormality, usually presenting after the age of 2 and affecting the hair of the scalp or, very rarely, beard, axillary, or pubic hair. Hair is characterized by a banded or speckled appearance due to alternating light bands (corresponding to air-filled cavities within the cortex of the affected hair shafts) and dark bands. The bands have a lifelong duration, may only be detectable under light microscopy, are more apparent in fair-colored hair or with age-related graying, and have no effect on hair growth or fragility in the vast majority of cases.

Key facts

Age of onset

Childhood

Inheritance

Autosomal dominant, Not applicable

Classified as

Disease

Signs and symptoms

These ranges are how often a sign appears across everyone diagnosed, not a prediction for one person — most people have some of these and not others. Orphanet also records findings that are specifically absent in this disease; those are in the data but not listed here.

ICD-10 codes

ICD-10 has no distinct code for most rare diseases, so many are filed under the nearest available one. A shared code identifies the group, not this disease — the ORPHAcode above is what identifies it.

Related health topics

Reached through the ICD-10 categories this disease is filed under, so these describe the broader group rather than this disease specifically.

Cross-references