“Uncut Hair Syndrome” (UHS — Uncombable Hair Syndrome is a very rare genetic disease related to hair structure. Experts estimate that there are only about 100 people in the world with this syndrome. Although hardly anyone has heard of him and it is difficult to meet a person with this disease, it is easy to recognize him, because his hair will be very light, thin, matted, and will create a luminous aura around his head.
What is “Ungunned Hair Syndrome”?
The syndrome was first described by French dermatologists in the 70s. In this hereditary disease, mutations mainly concern three genes involved in the formation of the hair shaft. An anomaly in the structure of the hair, consisting in an irregular, triangular-shaped cross-section can be seen under a microscope. The hair is very light, shimmering, luminous, thin, spiky, frizzy and difficult to style. The hairstyle resembles the one after using a crosspiece or after braiding wet hair into thin braids and then untangling them after drying.
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The hair is usually of the correct length and strength, and the eyebrows, eyelashes and hair of other parts of the body are properly built. The disease is usually diagnosed in children when the first hairs appear on the head, but it tends to improve with age. Apart from hair structure anomalies, no other abnormalities are found, although there are coexistence of dental, ophthalmic and dermatological diseases.
«It was like an episode of Dr. House! »
American Katelyn Samples did not know about the existence of the syndrome until her several-month-old son Locklan was diagnosed with this rare genetic disease. The woman decided to raise awareness about this disease on social media.
«Our pediatrician referred us to a specialist at Emory Hospital. It was like the episode »Dr. House! «. So many doctors and students came to us. They took hair samples and a few weeks later my mother answered the phone and the doctor confirmed it was UHS » — the boy’s mother describes.
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The rare diagnosis was confirmed by pediatric dermatologists at Emory Hospital in Atlanta. Medics believe that Locklan is only one in approximately 100 people living today with Ungunned Hair Syndrome.
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