Plica polonica: Trichoscopic findings with a brief literature review

Abstract

Plica polonica is a common but rarely reported acquired condition characterized by sudden onset of irreversible entanglement of the hair. Psychological disturbance is a risk factor for plica formation. Plica polonica was considered a disease of the past caused by poor hygiene and haircare in psychiatric patients. In view of its clinical rarity, we describe the case of a 50-year-old Muslim woman of Kashmiri ethnicity presenting with plica polonica to explain the trichoscopic findings gathered in the process of medical examination. The patient had attempted the treatment of the condition with various shampoos and conditioners but without improvement. There was no history of mental illness either in the patient or the patient’s family. The hair was dry, lusterless, densely adherent, but without discharge, foul odor, or lymphadenopathy. Trichoscopy revealed varying shades of brown and crisscrossing of hair shafts resembling an intertwined mesh of wires with concretions of the hair shafts. The patient was advised to cut the matted hair.

A familial case report of pili torti, pili annulati, and trichorrhexis nodosa showing autosomal dominant inheritance with microscopic findings

“…It may be genetic such as monilethrix, pili torti, pili annulati, trichothiodystrophy, genetic trichorrhexis nodosa, wooly hair, etc., as well as acquired such as bubble hair, acquired trichorrhexis nodosa, plica polonica, etc. [2][3][4][5][6]. Pili annulati is a rare hair shaft defect without fragility, in which the hair shows alternate bright and dark bands when observed under reflected light.…”