The 'mantle hair of Pinkus'. A review on the occasion of its centennial.

The 'mantle hair' is a hair follicle which is characterized by a circumferential proliferation of basaloid epithelial cells emanating from the base of its infundibulum. These cells show varying sebaceous differentiation. The mantle hair was first described 100 years ago. Since then, this type of hair follicle with its particular sebaceous gland has been forgotten repeatedly, to be rediscovered anew. Thus, a confusing terminology has evolved, and concepts of its nature are controversial. In this article we present a review of the 100-year history of the mantle hair.