Hair distribution on the phalanges of the hand among Punjabis in Pakistan

ABSTRACT

Data on the frequency and patterns of hair distribution on the hand are available from different parts of the world. The present study was undertaken to document the findings from Pakistan. A random sample of 500 male and 548 female medical students aged between 18-25 years of Punjab province studying in King Edward Medical College Lahore, were examined. All the cases considered in this study had Punjabi parents. It was interesting to note that absence of hair on proximal phalanges, a rare finding in Nigerians [4% in males and 5% in females] was comparable to Pakistani population [2% males and 20% In females]. Incidence of absence of hair in proximal phalanges was highest in Pakistani Punjabi females. the incidence of absence of middle phalangeal hair in Pakistani population was found very high [75.2% in males and 81.2% in females was compared to Turks and other populations. Hair were not observed on distal phalanges in this study as reported by other workers. The frequency order of presence of hair on proximal phalanx in Pakistani population was found to be 3>4>2>5 and on middle phalanx it was 5>4>3>2> which differs from 4>3>5>2> as reported in other populations. Frequency of phalangeal hair In Pakistani population [21.7%] lies in between lowest found in Africans [21%] and highest found in Europeans [70%]