Affected children are healthy and free from underlying nutritional deficiencies or other illnesses. Growth and development are normal. Hair may be of varying lengths and may have an unkempt, lackluster appearance. No scalp inflammation or scarring is present. Eyebrows, eyelashes, and body hair rarely are involved.
Inheritance appears to be in an autosomal dominant pattern with variable penetrance.
These associations were most likely coincidental. In normal individuals, removing hair with light traction yields few hairs, almost all of which are in the telogen phase. These hairs are readily identified by their dry, nonpigmented, clublike roots and the absence of an inner and outer root sheath. A gentle hair pull normally yields only 0-2 hairs per pull, but in loose anagen syndrome, the number extracted may be much higher. Patients with loose anagen syndrome feel no discomfort as hairs are extracted.