title: Office diagnosis of hair shaft defects.
abstract: Hair shaft abnormalities are fascinating and can provide a diagnostic challenge. Current knowledge of structural changes in hair has been amplified by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). Dermatologists using the light microscope and polarization in the office can diagnose the great majority of hair shaft defects. A number of these defects are illustrated here.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA. whiting@dallasassoderm.com
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Whiting
authors.forename: Lady C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Dy
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006197:Hair / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006201:Hair Diseases / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008854:Microscopy, Electron