[Hypotrichosis congenita hereditaria Maria Unna]

A mother and child are reported, who suffer from hypotrichosis of the Marie-Unna type. At birth they had little or no hair. Subsequently, coarse and wirelike hair grew during early childhood, followed later by alopecia. Examination of the hair using scanning electron microscopy showed peeling of the cuticle and longitudinal ridging. Protein analysis showed no abnormalities compared with normal hair, but there were similarities with the so-called uncombable hair syndrome.