A woman with acquired, diffuse, lanugo-like hair growth

Authors: Marta Ferran, Montserrat Gilaberte, Josep E Herrero-Gonzalez, Lara Pijuan and Ramon M Pujol

Med J Aust 2008; 188 (9): 1-1.
Published online: 5 May 2008

A 79-year-old woman presented with a 3-month history of rapid growth of multiple long, thin, non-pigmented hairs, distributed diffusely over the entire body, preferentially on the face and trunk (Figure, A). After extensive investigations, two neoplasms were detected — a breast mucinous carcinoma and a metastatic endometrial carcinoma (Figure, B) — establishing the diagnosis of paraneoplastic hypertrichosis lanuginosa acquisita.

Acquired hypertrichosis is strongly associated with underlying neoplasm (mainly lung and colorectal cancer).1,2 Therefore, detailed and extensive investigations are mandatory to detect the associated malignancy and to allow early and specific therapy.

1. Department of Dermatology and Department of Pathology, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain.

Correspondence: mferran@imas.imim.es