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Hair pluck
Synonym(s): Diagnostics
Introduction
- Hair examination is valuable aid to differential diagnosis of skin and hair disorders.
- Useful technique - analysis for fungal diseases; parasitic diseases; congenital/hereditary diseases.
- Differentiate self-trauma from other causes of hair loss/damage.
Uses
- Dermatophytosis Ringworm (dermatophytosis).
- Demodicosis Mites (burrowing and non-burrowing).
- Pediculosis Pediculosis.
- Some congenital and nutritional hair dysplasia.
Advantages
- Easy technique.
- Inexpensive.
- Alternatives may be expensive, eg biopsy Skin biopsy, fungal culture, and more invasive, eg biopsy.
- For a definitive diagnosis of dermatophytosis it complements a positive culture as trichography (like biopsy) provides evidence of active infection while false positive cultures are possible due to contamination.
- A hair pluck may be more readily collected than a scraping from certain patients and certain areas of the body, eg face or feet and may be adequate to diagnose (but not to rule out) demodicosis.
Disadvantages
- For dermatophytosis - does not provide information about the fungal species involved.
- Dermatophyte infected hairs may be more readily detected on a scrape from the area with infected hair fragments being picked up.
Alternative techniques
- Skin scraping Skin scrapes.
- Fungal culture Fungal culture.
- Skin biopsy Skin biopsy.
Decision taking
Dermatophytosis is zoonotic. Wear gloves.Requirements
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Preparation
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Technique
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Aftercare
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Outcomes
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Further Reading
Publications
Refereed Papers
- Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
Other sources of information
- Miller W H, Griffin C E & Campbell K L (2013) Muller and Kirk's Small Animal Dermatology. 6th edn. W B Saunders, USA. pp 81-83.
- Moriello K A & Mason I S (1995) Handbook of Small Animal Dermatology. 1st edn. Pergamon. pp 23-25.
- Van Cutsem J & Rochette F (1991) Mycoses in Domestic Animals. Janssen Research Foundation. pp 28-29.
- Soulsby E J L (1968) Helminths, Arthropods and Protozoa of Domesticated Animals. 6th edn. Balliere Tindall and Cassell. pp 370.