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At some point or another, every weary parent wonders if their toddler’s hair is an impossible tuft of snags and snarls. But for a few rug rats, tangled hair is a real problem.
A rare genetic condition, called Uncombable Hair Syndrome, marks kids with hairdos best described as electrocution-inspired. These frizzy, wiry locks, often with a silvery blond or straw color, grow into untamable manes of fuzz. Scientists first documented the coiffure condition in 1973, but it is thought to have inspired the famous 1845 German children’s book character “Shockheaded Peter” (Struwwelpeterlater), later translated by Mark Twain to “Slovenly Peter.”
Since the ’70s, scientists have documented around 100 cases, but it’s likely that many more have gone undiagnosed. The condition rears its unkempt head between the ages of three months and 12 years, usually improving as a child grows. Scientists knew little else about it other than that the condition appeared to have a genetic root, sometimes getting tangled in family lines.
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Source: Ars Technica – Uncombable Hair Syndrome is real, and now we know what causes it