title: Hair casts due to a deodorant spray.
abstract: A 7-year-old girl presented with itching and greyish-white sleeve-like structures in her hair. After ruling out other possible causes for the symptoms, such as nits and dandruff, it was determined that the patient was affected by hair casts. These are small cylindrical structures resembling louse eggs that encircle individual scalp hairs and are easily movable along the hair shafts. It was concluded that she had induced the condition through misuse of a deodorant body spray. Scanning electron microscopy combined with electron dispersive X-ray analysis (X-ray microanalysis) of the hair casts showed the chemical nature of the structures. Some elements present in the composition of the ingredients of the deodorant spray, such as aluminium, chlorine, silicon, magnesium and carbon, were also present in this uncommon type of hair casts.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dermatology, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy. dottena@email.it
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ena
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mazzarello
authors.forename: Fausto
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiarolini
mesh_terms: D051520:Antiperspirants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D003836:Deodorants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D010373:Lice Infestations / Q000175:diagnosis; D012536:Scalp Dermatoses / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D013546:Sweating; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D051520:Antiperspirants; D003836:Deodorants