title: Hair casts: classification, staining characteristics, and differential diagnosis.
abstract: Considerable confusion exists in the literature regarding hair casts. A variety of different disorders have been grouped and reported as if they were a single entity. This nonspecificity in terminology accounts for the vast discrepancy in their reported incidence, size, configuration, etc. A specific classification for hair casts is proposed to clarify the situation. This article presents a practical staining technic, which readily differentiates peripilar keratin casts from other hair disorders. Clinical and microscopic characteristics of peripilar keratin casts and peripilar nonkeratin casts are illustrated.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000473:pathology; D006201:Hair Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D010373:Lice Infestations / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D013194:Staining and Labeling