It appears as a thinning or baldness of hair and was first described in 1897 by Walter Smith[5] Some indicators of monilethrix are small bumps on the skin, mainly on the scalp, neck and arms.

The strands are prone to mild to severe breakage, causing onset alopecia, especially during pregnancy.

Nail deformities may also be present as well as hair follicle keratosis and follicular hyperkeratosis.

Severe cases of monilethrix can also affect finger and toe nails causing abnormal growth.

Less severe cases of Monilethrix may only affect certain parts of the scalp, usually the back of the head and neck.Monilethrix may be diagnosed with trichoscopy[8][9] and other forms of dermoscopy.

Light microscopic examination is diagnostic and reveals elliptical nodes of normal thickness and intermittent constrictions, internodes at which the hair easily breaks.

[10] In general, there is a tendency for spontaneous improvement with time, especially during puberty and pregnancy, but the condition never disappears completely.

[11] Monilethrix is caused by mutations affecting the genes KRTHB1 (KRT81), KRTHB3 (KRT83), or KRTHB6 (KRT86) which code for type II hair cortex keratins.