Hypotrichosis present at birth occurring as an isolated defect in three members of an Afghan family and transmitted as an autosomal dominant trait, responded to topical applications of fluocinolone acetonide acetate ointment. The patients were a 9-year-old boy, his 7-year-old sister and their 30-year-old mother who since birth, had sparse, light-coloured and thin hairs on their scalp which would not grow longer than 1 cm in length. Microscopic examination revealed the hairs to be thin and fragile, but of a uniform thickness. Some of the hairs showed secondary trichorrhexis. Following topical applications of 0.1% fluocinolone ointment, the hairs became coarser and increased in length from an ayerage of 0.7 cm before treatment to 6.2 and 7.1 cm in the two children after 10 months. The mother who started the treatment later also showed improvement.