Short Anagen Hair Nevus: Improvement After Treatment With 5% Topical Minoxidil

In 2007, a study was conducted on a 4-year-old girl who had two distinct areas of altered hair growth, a condition proposed to be named short anagen hair naevus. The hair in these areas was shorter than the rest of her scalp, and a trichogram showed high numbers of telogen bulbs, indicating rapid hair cycling. The girl was treated with 5% topical minoxidil, which normalized her hair growth. After 3 months of treatment, increased hair length was observed, and by 9 months, the affected areas had achieved normal hair length. The improvement was maintained for a total of 24 months. The study suggested that minoxidil could stimulate telogen hair follicles to enter the anagen phase and prolong this phase, thus improving hair growth in cases of short anagen hair naevus.