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Case Reports
. 2016 Oct-Dec;8(4):171-172.
doi: 10.4103/0974-7753.203171.

Anagen Effluvium Following Acute Colchicine Poisoning

Andrea Combalia  1 , Carola Baliu-Piqué  1 , Adriana Fortea  2 , Juan Ferrando  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Anagen Effluvium Following Acute Colchicine Poisoning

Andrea Combalia et al. Int J Trichology. 2016 Oct-Dec.

Abstract

We present a case of a 17-year-old girl admitted to the Psychiatric Department recovering from a suicide attempt with colchicine. One week after poisoning, a sudden onset of hair loss was observed. Positive hair pull test and trichoscopy demonstrated the presence of anagen hairs with pigmented long roots covered by the root sheaths. Colchicine poisoning is an uncommon, but potentially life-threatening toxicologic emergency. An overdose of colchicine inhibits cell division, and thus the most affected organs are those which have a high rate of cell turnover. Hair loss resulting from colchicine poisoning presents as anagen effluvium, as it occurs with an exposure to toxic chemicals. Pharmacotherapy or specific treatment is not usually required, since the follicle resumes its normal activity after withdrawal of the antimitotic factors.

Keywords: Alopecia; anagen; colchicine; effluvium.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Hair loss on day 7 after colchicine poisoning
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) Trichoscopy of anagen hairs collected with hair pull test. (b) Dermoscopy of the scalp where no signs of trichotillomania such as broken hairs, black dots, flame hair, V-sign, or follicular hemorrhages can be observed
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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