- Reaction score
- 95
[The Journal of International Medical Research, 2009]
'We present the case of a patient in whom active new hair growth occurred around a wound after healing. This very rare phenomenon has not previously been reported in the literature. We postulate that, after the epidermis and hair follicles have been damaged by wounding, it is possible for them naturally to heal and repair if provided with an appropriate chemical and physical microenvironment. This hypothesis may inspire new thinking in the management of alopecia, tissue engineering and the regeneration of other organs.
Introduction
Active new hair growth around wounds is a very rare phenomenon and, as far as we are aware, there have been no previous published clinical reports on this. Although epidermis that is lost on injury can regenerate, the loss of adult hair follicles has, until now, been considered permanent. 1,2 If, however, an appropriate chemical and physical microenvironment is provided after wounding it may be that hair follicles can develop anew. 3,4 The case that we report of a man who requested medical attention for sudden increased hair growth around facial scar tissue after a boiling water scald injury to the area is, therefore, highly unusual and may inspire new thinking in the management of alopecia, tissue engineering and the regeneration of other organs.
Case report
A 25-year-old man requested medical attention for a sudden increase in hair growth on the left cheek (Fig. 1). The patient reported that he had scalded himself on the left cheek with boiling water 1 year previously, but then left the wound open while it was healing. Eight months later, he noticed hair growing around the scar tissue that grew faster than his moustache but caused no sensation. He shaved several times but the hair continued to grow. Histological analysis of the tissue around the wounds showed new hair follicle formation but no other distinct changes in the subcutaneous tissue (Fig. 2). The man had no history of endocrine disorders and an overall medical examination showed he was healthy.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/147323000903700236
'We present the case of a patient in whom active new hair growth occurred around a wound after healing. This very rare phenomenon has not previously been reported in the literature. We postulate that, after the epidermis and hair follicles have been damaged by wounding, it is possible for them naturally to heal and repair if provided with an appropriate chemical and physical microenvironment. This hypothesis may inspire new thinking in the management of alopecia, tissue engineering and the regeneration of other organs.
Introduction
Active new hair growth around wounds is a very rare phenomenon and, as far as we are aware, there have been no previous published clinical reports on this. Although epidermis that is lost on injury can regenerate, the loss of adult hair follicles has, until now, been considered permanent. 1,2 If, however, an appropriate chemical and physical microenvironment is provided after wounding it may be that hair follicles can develop anew. 3,4 The case that we report of a man who requested medical attention for sudden increased hair growth around facial scar tissue after a boiling water scald injury to the area is, therefore, highly unusual and may inspire new thinking in the management of alopecia, tissue engineering and the regeneration of other organs.
Case report
A 25-year-old man requested medical attention for a sudden increase in hair growth on the left cheek (Fig. 1). The patient reported that he had scalded himself on the left cheek with boiling water 1 year previously, but then left the wound open while it was healing. Eight months later, he noticed hair growing around the scar tissue that grew faster than his moustache but caused no sensation. He shaved several times but the hair continued to grow. Histological analysis of the tissue around the wounds showed new hair follicle formation but no other distinct changes in the subcutaneous tissue (Fig. 2). The man had no history of endocrine disorders and an overall medical examination showed he was healthy.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/147323000903700236
