Hair root studies in patients suffering from primary and secondary syphilis.

The hair root status (trichogram) was studied in eleven patients with primary and eight with secondary syphilis. Variables studied in addition to the hair roots were absence or presence of hair root sheaths, deformities and hair roots with angulations exceeding 20 degrees. A decrease in the number of anagen hair roots and an increase in the number of catagen hair roots, dysplastic/dystrophic roots and anagen hair roots with sheaths and more than 20 degrees angulation was observed in both groups of patients. No difference was demonstrable between the findings in primary and those in secondary syphilis. Whether the abnormalities found in the trichogram are specific of syphilis, is unknown.