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Isolated scrotal hair in infancy
Anastasios Papadimitriou1, Despina Beri, Polyxeni Nicolaidou
1First Department of Pediatrics, Penteli Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece. lix@ath.forthnet.gr
The Journal of Pediatrics
|June 2, 2006
Summary
In young boys, the appearance of scrotal hair without other virilization signs is typically a benign, transient event. This early genital hair growth usually resolves on its own by age 12 months.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Endocrinology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Genital hair development in boys under 9 years old is considered precocious.
- Potential causes include precocious puberty, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, tumors, or premature adrenarche.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical presentation and endocrinologic findings in male infants with isolated scrotal hair development.
Main Methods:
- Case series evaluating nine male infants with early scrotal hair.
- Endocrinologic investigations were performed in a subset of patients.
Main Results:
- Median age of scrotal hair onset was 4.5 months; median presentation age was 7.5 months.
- No other signs of virilization were observed.
- Endocrinologic tests were normal in evaluated infants.
- Scrotal hair receded spontaneously by a mean age of 12 months.
Conclusions:
- Isolated scrotal hair in male infants appears to be a transient, benign condition.
- This presentation does not warrant extensive investigation for pathological causes if no other virilization signs are present.