Rare diseases · Sign or symptom
Woolly scalp hair
HP:0040149
What it means
The presence of wooly hair on the scalp. The term wooly hair refers to an abnormal variant of hair that is fine, with tightly coiled curls, and often hypopigmented. Optical microscopy may reveal the presence of tight spirals and a clear diameter reduction as compared with normal hair. Electron microscopy may show flat, oval hair shafts with reduced transversal diameter.
Rare diseases that can present with this1
The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.
Part of the broader category
Also called: Afro-textured scalp hair · Kinky scalp hair texture · Nappy scalp hair texture · Wooly scalp hair
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Start free with EleplanThis page uses the Human Phenotype Ontology (2026-06-23) — Human Phenotype Ontology Consortium, hpo.jax.org. Disease associations from Orphanet (INSERM), CC BY 4.0. Content is educational and is not medical advice.