title: [Sporadic anterior cervical hypertrichosis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anterior cervical hypertrichosis is a rare and little-known form of congenital localized hypertrichosis. It is characterized by the presence of a tuft of terminal hairs in the anterior cervical region. We report four typical clinical observations of this condition.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four patients aged from 5 to 21 years were seen for a tuft of terminal long hair on the neck, next to the cricoid cartilage, recorded at birth or during early childhood. There was no indication of previous trauma or topical drug application. No similar familial history was found. In one case, histological examination performed for suspicion of an "atypical" smooth muscle hamartoma contributed nothing of note. No neurological abnormalities were observed. In one case there was a history of chronic juvenile idiopathic arthritis and familial thyroid disease. Treatment with 5 sessions of laser hair removal was proposed in one case and the improvement was considered satisfactory by the patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anterior cervical hypertrichosis constitute a specific clinical picture of a benign nature, and is sometimes associated with neurological, orthopaedic or ocular abnormalities. Although rarely reported, its frequency is probably underestimated.
authors.affiliation: Service de dermatologie, CHU Hassan II, BP 1835, Atlass, Fès, Maroc. Electronic address: mariame_meziane@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meziane
authors.affiliation: Département de dermatologie, CHRU hôpital Saint-Eloi, 80, avenue Augustin-Fliche, 34295 Montpellier cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bessis
authors.affiliation: Service de dermatologie, CHU Hassan II, BP 1835, Atlass, Fès, Maroc.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Amraoui
authors.affiliation: Service de dermatologie, CHU Hassan II, BP 1835, Atlass, Fès, Maroc.
authors.forename: F-Z
authors.initials: FZ
authors.lastname: Mernissi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006983:Hypertrichosis / Q000151:congenital* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anterior cervical hypertrichosis; Congenital hypertrichosis; Hypertrichose cervicale antérieure; Hypertrichose congénitale