What is Uncombable Hair Syndrome?

Many parents struggle with their children's seemingly uncombable or unruly hair, but there really is a rare genetic condition which makes certain children's hair completely unbrushable. Uncombable Hair Syndrome, also known as Pili trianguli et canaliculi, causes a sufferer's hair to grow out in frizzy patches which cannot lay flat on the scalp. Partial baldness can also be associated with this condition, since individual hairs may not be anchored securely.

Uncombable Hair Syndrome was first discovered by French researchers in the early 1970s, but it was so rare that fewer than 60 cases had been reported by the late 1990s. One characteristic of UHS inspired another name for the condition: Spun glass hair. Children with Uncombable Hair Syndrome generally produce very fine blonde or straw-colored hairs which have the appearance of delicate spun glass threads.

The root cause of Uncombable Hair Syndrome can be more easily understood by studying its other name, Pili trianguli et canaliculi. The hair(pili) grows out from the follicle in a roughly triangular-shaped shaft, which causes it to kink and curl irregularly. Under microscopic examination, a canal can be seen running the length of each hair. The result is a scalpful of untameable blonde hair which breaks easily and cannot be chemically relaxed or straightened.

There currently is no known cure for Uncombable Hair Syndrome, largely because of its genetic nature. Many children afflicted with the condition gradually grow out of it by adolescence, but some have been known to have some uncombable patches into early adulthood. Sometimes the shape of the hair shaft changes as the child ages and it becomes more manageable. The color and texture of the hair may also change over time, taking on a darker shade and thicker consistency.

Those who suffer from Uncombable Hair Syndrome may feel very self-conscious about their appearance, so parents may have to experiment with various hair products such as biotin to address some of the hair management issues. Some children may have unnaturally uncombable hair, but this is not the same as true Uncombable Hair Syndrome. At least 50 percent of a child's hair must be affected by the triangular and grooved hair shaft growth in order to be diagnosed as Uncombable Hair Syndrome or Pili trianguli et canaliculi.