Monilethrix is best described as?

• A. Knotted hair caused by weak hair shafts
• B. Beaded hair caused by irregular hair growth
• C. Dandruff
• D. Patchy hair loss in round or oval areas

Answer: (B)

Monilethrix is a hereditary hair shaft disorder. The defining feature is a beaded or necklace-like appearance of the hair, caused by periodic constrictions that create nodes and internodes along the strand. This irregular hair shaft formation makes the hair weak and prone to breakage, so the most accurate description is beaded hair along the shaft due to abnormal hair formation during growth. It’s not a scalp condition like dandruff, nor does it cause round patches of hair loss; those findings point to other conditions. The beaded pattern is the hallmark you’d look for in a client with this disorder.