A 47-year-old white female patient treated with valproic acid (VPA) 500mg 3xd, at Utrecht University, the Netherlands, developed curling of the hair which gradually resolved over 5 years continuous therapy, with blood levels ranging from 97 to 146 mg/L. Thinning of the hair with spots of alopecia preceded the curling effect and persisted after curling resolved. She had dyed her hair long before the curling appeared, but she had never had a permanent wave hair styling. This report of a transient perming effect of VPA is considered unique. [1]
COMMENT. VPA is known to cause alopecia, thinning of the hair, and hair color changes. Changes in hair texture are also reported, including curliness in 2% of 250 patients [2], but rarely transient.