There are many diseases out there that you can get that may lead to hair loss. However, there are also some diseases that you are born with that have the same results. “Congenital hair loss” is the term used to classify these disorders with which we are born and which result in the falling of the hair.
Congenital hair loss conditions are much rarer to find than acquired hair loss conditions. Yet they exist, and knowledge of them is useful when identifying hair loss causes.
Their treatment varies. Also, their effects can be mostly mitigated, while others are active for a lifetime. The known congenital hair loss conditions are the following:
Ectodermal Dysplasias
This is a series of disorders that involves the abnormal development of organs, such as hair, nails, teeth, and sweat glands. Each person with the disease presents a uniquely different combination of the defects.
One person can have their hair and nails affected, another their teeth and hairs, and so on. Individuals affected in their hair can suffer from a number of hair loss problems.
The hair might be especially thinner, light-coloured, frail, and sparse. It also tends to grow more slowly and irregularly from zone to zone across the scalp. Also, the hair is very easy to pull out. This condition is present at birth but can manifest in puberty or later adulthood.
Nevus Sebaceous
This is manifested as an orange, waxy plaque in the scalp, which is present at birth but grows considerably later on.
No hair grows on the plaque’s zone. It can be difficult to detect upon examination due to the surrounding hair masking it when it is still small. Excising it from the scalp early can save further congenial hair loss by preventing its growth.
Aplasia Cutis Congenital
It refers to a group of disorders that cause patches of scar-like tissue to grow on the skin. And these said tissues don’t grow any hair follicle on them.
The scarring is not limited to the scalp either. It can appear on the face, limbs, and abdomen. The scarring tissue is visible at birth, and it is a lifelong affliction.
Loose Anagen Hair Syndrome
In this condition, the hair produced in the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle is extremely loose and very easy to pull out of the scalp. During the anagen phase, new hairs are born, but they are rather firmly attached once sprouted.
In loose anagen hair syndrome, however, they are not. They show a rather sparse growth pattern on the scalp along with very thin-looking hair, which does not grow long too.
The condition is mainly observable in young children, but some adults can develop it as part of an alopecia areata condition.
Isolated Hair Shaft Anomalies
Certain anomalous developments of the hair shaft can cause easy breakage and thus lead to congenital hair loss.
The length, density, and structure of the hair shaft become altered. This leads to important structural changes on the hair fibre and its cuticle.
The resulting hair might have an altered structure. That will make something as simple as combing difficult to do. Fragile hair, dry hair, lusterless hair, and perpetually brittle hair might come out as a result of this condition.