Schizophrenia and Changes in Physical Appearance

Sir: For patients admitted to a psychiatric hospital, disturbances in thinking, mood, and perception have strong diagnostic relevance. However, especially in schizophrenia, the physical appearance of patients might be of clinical importance. This is illustrated by a number of case reports and small series studies in which schizophrenic patients were found to have shaved their heads or cut their hair just before or during admission.