Alopecia Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Alopecia, including details on hair loss, baldness, treatment, causes, prevention.

The hair collar sign.

Stevens CA, Galen W

Department of Pediatrics, T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital, University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37403, USA. cathy.stevens@erlanger.org

We report on two children with congenital scalp lesions which were surrounded by a ring of dark hair known as a hair collar. A review of previously reported patients with hair collars revealed that most of the scalp lesions were single and located at the vertex or parietal areas. They were most commonly composed of heterotopic neural tissue. We found a significant risk of associated skull defects, direct connections to the central nervous system (CNS), and brain and cerebrovascular anomalies in these patients. Careful clinical evaluation and MRI of the brain are indicated prior to biopsy or excision of these scalp lesions.

Published 4 February 2008 in Am J Med Genet A, 146(4): 484-7.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Alopecia Research Today. All Rights Reserved.