Parietal Whorl Research Articles

Scalp hair whorl patterns in patients affected by Neurofibromatosis Type 1: A case-control study.

Background:The hair whorl denotes the spiral disposition of hairs around an axis, which is determined by the follicle growing direction. Atypical variants of scalp hair patterns, identified by abnormally placed or multiple whorls, have been associated with early brain developmental disorders and several dysmorphic syndromes.Materials and Methods:A 6-month case–control, prospective monocentric study included an overall number of 557 children. A logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between localization, the number of scalp hair whorls, and their association with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).Results:NF1 positively correlates with a frontal localization, whereas a negative association was found with a parietal whorl pattern (P < 0.001).Conclusion:Evaluation of scalp whorls gains importance in the neonatal settings and may contribute to suspect the early diagnosis of NF1, as the related National Institutes of Health diagnostic criteria cannot be usually observed at an early age.

A novel model for designing and performing parietal whorl hair transplantation

Hair transplantation is the gold standard method for the treatment of alopecia. Recently, demand for the surgery has increased rapidly. However, high demands also require more professional training for the surgeons. With the maturing of hairline design skills, parietal whorl design has become the next challenge and no appropriate training models have yet been reported. To present an innovative, simple, and appropriate training model for designing the scalp parietal whorl. Outward divergent arc curves were drawn from the navel of an orange. Recipient sites were created with 23G needles or 1.0-mm knives or 1.0-mm blades according to the outward divergent arc curves, then hair shafts were transplanted using forceps. Different densities of hair shafts were transplanted. Transplantation of 10-20 follicular units (FU)/cm2 was too sparse, 30FU/cm2 achieved a good appearance, but 40-50FU/cm2 was better. Through practicing on the model, excellent results of parietal whorl transplantation on patients can be achieved. This new model can perfectly suit the lines and direction of the parietal whorl and also present different density transplantation practicing. We provide a training method for new surgeons as well as a rehearsal opportunity for previously trained doctors.

Study on Hair Distribution in Healthy Males for Hair Restoration Design.

The incidence of hair loss among Chinese male has increased to 21.3 per hundred. Hair restoration has been an effective technique. Detailed hair distribution has a tremendous impact on the surgery design. To investigate the pattern of hair distribution in Chinese young adult males. A total of 1000 males without hair disease were enrolled. We evaluated the locations of the main anatomical marks at different sites on the scalp and analyzed the hair density and follicular unit structure using the standard photographs and trichoscope. The hairline shapes were classified as: linear (48.7%), linear with central protrusion (27.9%), round (9.8%), round with central protrusion (13.7%). The average height of the median line was 6.78 ± 0.75 cm, the ratio of the median line and the forehead height was 0.333. The average distance from the parietal whorl to the vertical bimeatal line was 7.05 ± 3.32 cm, and most of the PWs were on the right (51.4%) and had a clockwise pattern (73.3%). The hair density was 171.12 ± 18.32 hairs/cm in the vertex. 1-hair follicular units were (75.90% and 56.39%) in anterior hairline and temporal area. Our study clearly assisted understanding of scalp anatomy and hair distribution in Chinese young adult males.

Scalp Medical Tattooing Technique to Camouflage Bifid Parietal Whorls.

Background:To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no reports have described cosmetic problems arising from the hair direction around the parietal whorl (PW). This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of scalp medical tattooing technique for camouflaging bifid PWs.Methods:We retrospectively examined the outcomes of scalp medical tattooing in 38 patients who were admitted for camouflage of a bifid PW.Results:All patients’ cosmetic appearance was judged, by both the patients and the surgeon, to be markedly improved. No specific complications occurred, such as infection, hair loss in the operative field, or other problems.Conclusion:Scalp medical tattooing appears to be an effective method that helps to camouflage the see-through appearance of bifid PWs.

Predicting the Permanent Safe Donor Area for Hair Transplantation in Koreans with Male Pattern Baldness according to the Position of the Parietal Whorl.

BackgroundThe most crucial factor in hair transplantation for male pattern baldness (MPB) patients is the efficient utilization of the donor-recipient ratio. However, there is no known factor that scientifically predicts the rate of progression of alopecia or indicates a permanently safe donor area.MethodsThe study considered 1,008 Korean adult males with MPB; of these, it excluded 56 males with an absence of parietal whorls (PWs). The authors investigated the distance from the vertical bimeatal line (VM) to the PW, from the PW to the upper border of the helical rim (HR), and the distance from the PW to the occipital fringe (OF) in 952 subjects with a PW. Furthermore, we examined the distance from the PW to the OF considering the duration of alopecia and age in 322 subjects with vertex alopecia.ResultsThe distance between the VM and PW varied from 1.5 to 11 cm, with an average distance of 6.25 cm. The PW-HR distance ranged from 3.4 to 17.5 cm, and the average distance was 7.79 cm. The PW-OF distance ranged from 0.5 to 5.5 cm, and the average distance was 2.37 cm.ConclusionsFor the PW, very large variations existed in the vertical direction. The position of the PW could predict the progression range of the total alopecia of the vertex. Alopecia mostly progresses within 6 cm of the PW toward the occipital side.

Medial Position and Counterclockwise Rotation of the Parietal Scalp Hair-Whorl as a Possible Indicator for Non-Right-Handedness

The objective of our study was to assess the association between position and swirling direction of the parietal whorl (PW) and handedness. In 519 patients of a pediatric practice, PWs were located and the swirling direction determined. Of those patients, handedness could be specified in 217. The right-sided PW (n = 347; 70.8%) and the clockwise (CW) swirling type (n = 411; 83.9%) of all participants were predominant in children with one PW. Non-right-handedness (NRH) was found in 40 (18.4%). Medial position of the whorl per se increases the chance for NRH, indifferent of the swirling direction. In patients with counterclockwise (CCW) swirling, the chance of NRH increased 3.5-fold for the right-sided, 5.4-fold for the left-sided, and 12.9-fold for the medial-positioned whorl. We conclude that NRH is associated with the position (medial!) and the swirling direction (CCW!) of the PW.

Parietal whorl (crown): how many in Saudi children?

Parietal whorl (crown): how many in Saudi children?

Unruly Scalp Hair in Infancy: Its Nature and Relevance to Problems of Brain Morphogenesis

A relationship has been deduced between aberrant scalp hair directional patterning and problems in early brain development and function. The unusual scalp hair patterns noted by Smith and Gong1,2 were frontal upsweep and aberrant parietal whorl(s). The purpose of this article is to report a third type of unusual scalp hair patterning, unruly hair over the top of the scalp, and its association with problems in brain development. This feature was initially observed by Freund in 1910,3 who noted its association with neuropathic dysfunction in infants. METHODS The definition of unruly hair is that which naturally and persistently tends to stand up over the top of the head from the area of the posterior parietal whorl toward the frontal hairline.

Scalp‐hair patterning: Its origin and significance relative to early brain and upper facial development

AbstractStudies of hair‐follicle development and scalp‐hair patterning innormal fetuses and children and in those with disorders of early brain development were indicative of the following hypothesis: hair directional slope is secondary to the plane of stretch exerted on the skin by the growth of underlying tissues during the period of downgrowth of the hair follicles, around 10–12 gestational weeks. The posterior parietal hair whorl was interpreted as the focalpoint from which the growth stretch is exerted by the domelike outgrowth of thebrain during the time of hair follicle development. Anomalies such as encephalocele and dicephaly, which must have antedated hair follicle development, showed expected aberrations in scalp patterning. Among patients with primarymicrocephaly 85% had altered scalp hair patterning, indicating an early onsetof the problem in brain development. This included 25% with no parietal whorl, a finding previously noted only in nonhuman primates. Aberrant scalp patterning was also found to be a frequent finding in five established syndromes, included Down syndrome, in each case being compatible with a problem in early brain development. Thus, aberrant scalp‐hair patterning may be utilized as an indicator of altered size and/or shape of the brain prior to 12 weeks of gestation.