Monilethrix treated with oral retinoids.

We report a childhood case of monilethrix in which oral etretinate was given. Clinically, the cosmetic benefit was marginal. However, of note was that there was an increase in hair length with loss of beading along the shaft of these hairs. The background scalp appearance of keratosis pilaris persisted in these areas. This suggests that the beading alone is influenced by etretinate and is not solely an artefact secondary to the hyperkeratotic condition at the follicular opening.