Premature canities L67.1

Premature graying.

In whites before 20 years of age, in blacks before 30 years of age, e.g. in immunological diseases such as pernicious anemia, thyroiditis. Premature graying of hair may also occur in progeria, progeria infantilis, progeria adultorum, Rothmund syndrome.

As an isolated genetic syndrome

• Autosomal dominant isolated disorder(familial canities praecox)

As an associated symptom in various syndromes

• Progeria(Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome, Werner syndrome)
• Rothmund-Thompson syndrome
• Curschmann-Steinert myotonic muscular dystrophy
• Seckel syndrome
• Branchiookulofacial syndrome
• Dysodontia-leukotrichosis-capitis-sanguinatio syndrome
• Böök syndrome (ectodermal dysplasia with hyperhidrosis and canities praecox)
• Waardenburg syndrome
• Louis Bar syndrome
• Cri-du-chat syndrome

Immunological

• Pernicious anemia
• Autoimmune thyroiditis
• Addison's syndrome
• Canities subita (overnight whitening)
• Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome

Infectious

• HIV infection

Other diseases

• Severe fever
• Vitamin A deficiency
• Iron deficiency anemia
• Malignancies

Medications

• antimalarials (chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine)
• neuroleptics (butyrophenone, haloperidol)
• Others: bleomycin, mephenesin, triparanol)

Usually not necessary, if necessary dyeing or tinting of the hair. It is important to recognize an associated or triggering underlying disease.

1. Schallreuter KU et al. (1994) Vitiligo and other diseases: coexistence or true association? Hamburg study on 321 patients. Dermatology 188:269-275.