Definition

Tiny, broken hairs located at the very edge of the bald patches that taper at the base.

Clinical Details

As the immune system chokes off the growing hair, the shaft becomes incredibly thin and structurally weak near the surface of the skin. The thicker upper portion of the hair remains, creating a microscopic structure that perfectly resembles an exclamation mark. Finding these highly specific hairs is a definitive clinical sign of active, expanding autoimmune disease.