Matting of body hair

Manikoth Payyanadan Binitha, Anza Khader, Sharanya Padma

 Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Government Medical College, Kozhikode, Kerala, India

Correspondence Address:
Anza Khader
5/1986 B, “Maskan” Rajiv Nagar Colony, PO Puthiyara, Kozhikode - 673 004, Kerala
India

A 47-year-old healthy man presented with “black lesions” on the chest which were noticed since morning, when he had rubbed himself with a towel after taking bath. Examination revealed the hair on the chest to be tangled and bunched up into knots, which could not be unravelled [Figure - 1].

Figure 1

'Matting of hair' is a rare condition, characterized by knotting and rolling together of multiple hair shafts due to friction, most commonly when the hair is wet. This condition is similar to wool felting, where compacting of contiguous fibres occurs when exposed to friction and compression in the liquid medium. Matting of body hair has been rarely reported in Asians, as they are shorter, straighter and thinner than in Caucasians and Africans.

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.