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posted by cmn32480 on Monday January 02 2017, @11:54AM   Printer-friendly
from the i'm-bald-you-insensitive-clods dept.

Some children suffer from completely tangled hair, which cannot be combed at all. In German, the phenomenon bears the apt name "uncombable hair syndrome" or even "Struwwelpeter syndrome." Researchers at the Universities of Bonn and Toulouse have identified mutations in three genes that are responsible for this. Scientists from a total of eight countries were involved in the work. The results were published in the American Journal of Human Genetics.

Many parents know from their own experience that it is not always easy to comb children's hair. Yet with patience and nerves of steel, even the toughest of knots can usually be undone.

In the case of "uncombable hair syndrome," brushes and combs don't stand even the hint of a chance. Those affected have extremely frizzy, dry, generally light blonde hair with a characteristic shine, which successfully resists any attempt to tame it. These symptoms are most pronounced in childhood and then ease over time. In adulthood, the hair can more or less be styled normally.

Journal Reference:

F. Buket Ü. Basmanav et al. Mutations in three genes encoding proteins involved in hair shaft formation cause uncombable hair syndrome. American Journal of Human Genetics, November 2016 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2016.10.004


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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 02 2017, @08:31PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 02 2017, @08:31PM (#448633)

    I've never known anyone with blonde hair to get it "knotted and tangled" in such a way;

    Well, obviously then it does not exist! Are you Francis?