Zinc Deficiency and Canities

Abstract

Zinc is an essential trace element in health and disease. It chiefly functions as a cofactor to various metalloproteins and enzymes and is involved in transcription and gene expression. In contrast to Western countries, acquired zinc deficiency is common in South Asian countries principally in infants and young children due to poor diet and malnutrition. Herein we describe an infant with canities due to acquired zinc deficiency, which to our knowledge has not been described previously, and also briefly discuss the role of zinc in melanogenesis.Report of a Case | A 5-month-old boy born to a nonconsanguineously wed couple presented to the dermatology outpatient clinic with erythematous, eczematous scaly plaques and erosions involving the perioral, perianal, and acral sites and diarrhea of 7 days' duration. The infant had an uneventful birth history, a birth weight of 2.3 kg, and was exclusively breastfed. The child's weight at the time of presentation was 7 kg. His scalp hair was sparse and depigmented ( Figure, A). The serum zinc level was 40 μg/dL, and serum alkaline phosphatase level was 120 IU/L.Based on these findings, a diagnosis of acquired zinc deficiency was made, and treatment was started with 3 mg/ kg/d of oral elemental zinc. The mother was also given oral zinc supplements. One week after starting treatment, there was marked improvement in skin lesions, and perioral and perianal lesions had subsided with postinflammatory hypopigmentation. Zinc supplementation was continued, and 3 months after initiation of treatment, there was complete regrowth of darkly pigmented hair over the scalp (Figure, B).Discussion | Zinc plays a vital role in health and disease of skin and its appendages. Its deficiency characteristically presents with eczematous, crusted plaques in perioral, perianal, and acral sites. Hair involvement is common and can present as total alopecia, alternative light and dark bands on polarized microscopy, and structural hair changes.

Premature graying of hair: Review with updates

“…There have been occasional reports of zinc deficiency and PGH. [45] Copper, iron, calcium, and zinc have all been thought to influence melanogenesis and thus influence hair pigmentation.…”

Highly Selective Amide-tethered 4-aminoquinoline-β-lactam Based Electrochemical Sensors for Zn (II) ion Recognition

“…Zinc is an essential trace element for many biological processes such as brain function, gene transcription, immune function, and mammalian reproduction [1,2]. Its deficiency may result in loss of appetite, decrease sense of taste, smell and skin sores while excessive amount of zinc may cause stomach cramps, skin irritations, vomiting, nausea, damage to pancreas and disruption in protein metabolism [3,4]. The rapid increase of zinc concentrations in the natural resources and its risk of bioaccumulation have raised great concern among the analysts.…”