In a highly unusual medical case, a 52-year-old Austrian man was diagnosed with a rare condition causing hair to grow inside his throat, attributed to his habit of smoking a pack of cigarettes daily for 30 years. This condition, detailed in the American Journal of Case Reports, significantly impacted his health over more than a decade.
Initial symptoms and diagnosis
The man began seeking medical attention in 2007, reporting difficulty breathing, a chronic cough, and a hoarse voice. He informed doctors that he had been experiencing symptoms since 2006 and mentioned a disturbing incident where he coughed out a 5 cm long hair. He revealed his long-term smoking habit, which started in 1990.
Medical findings and history
A bronchoscopy performed by doctors uncovered multiple hairs growing from a specific area in the man’s throat. This area had previously undergone surgery following a near-drowning incident during his childhood. At the age of 10, he had a tracheotomy, which involved cutting open his trachea to place an air tube, allowing oxygen to reach his lungs. The tracheotomy site was later closed with a skin and cartilage graft from his ear, which unexpectedly became the source of hair growth.
Ongoing treatment and surgical interventions
For 14 years, the man underwent annual hospital visits to have the hairs plucked from his throat, with doctors removing six to nine 2-inch long hairs each time. Despite these efforts, the hair continued to grow back, worsening his condition. Doctors linked the persistent hair growth directly to his smoking habit. His condition began to improve significantly after he quit smoking in 2022. An endoscopic argon plasma coagulation procedure was then performed, which involved burning the hair cells to prevent regrowth.
A year after the coagulation procedure, doctors removed two remaining hairs from his throat and performed another round of coagulation. Since then, the patient has not reported any further hair growth, marking a significant improvement in his condition. This bizarre and rare medical case highlights the severe and unexpected health consequences of chronic smoking, underscoring the critical importance of cessation for long-term health.
