Monilethrix

Excerpt

Described initially in 1897 by Walter Smith, monilethrix is a rare structural hair shaft disorder characterized by hair fragility and resulting in patchy dystrophic alopecia. Monilethrix typically transmits in an autosomal dominant mode, and it is characterized by a regular, periodic thinning of the hair-shaft, leading to a characteristic beaded appearance of the hair. The term monilethrix comes from "monile" (Latin) and "thrix" (Greek), meaning "necklace" and "hair" respectively, which emphasizes the clinical resemblance of the hair to a string of beads or a necklace.