L67: Hair colour and hair shaft abnormalities

L67.0: Trichorrhexis nodosa

This disease is also called hair shaft fracture,

causing many small breaks in the hair. When examined under the microscope at each breakage point, each individual hair resembles two brushes pushed against each other in the opposite direction. With the naked eye, the breakage points along the hair shaft look like small nodules. The many small breaks cause the hairs to split and break off easily.

There are many damaging practices that can cause Trichorrhexis nodosa. These include excessive combing, bleaching or straightening of the hair. Hair shaft fracture can also be congenital in rare cases.