Bizarre Case: Green Hair Sprouts on Tongue of Tobacco User; See Pics

Ohio: A peculiar medical case has emerged in Ohio, United States, where a 64-year-old man visited a doctor with an unusual green tuft of hair on his tongue. This intriguing condition was detailed in a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The patient, who was a tobacco user, sought medical attention due to a two-week history of tongue discolouration. According to the doctors’ diagnosis, the hairy tongue was caused by an abnormal coating of skin cells. This coating occurs when filiform papillae, which are tiny conical protrusions containing taste buds, enlarge and become discoloured due to the accumulation of debris and bacteria.

Hairy tongue can display various colours such as brown, white, green, or pink, depending on the specific cause and factors like mouthwashes or candy, as stated by the American Academy of Oral Medicine. If left unaddressed, the hair-like coating can grow up to almost an inch in length and potentially trap substances like bacteria, food, and yeast.

In this particular case, the duration of the patient’s tobacco use was not disclosed by the doctors. However, they later discovered that the man had recently completed a regimen of clindamycin, an antibiotic prescribed for a gum infection. According to WebMD, taking antibiotics can disrupt the natural balance of bacteria in the mouth, leading to an accumulation on the tongue’s surface.

The doctors emphasized that this generally temporary condition is harmless, with the worst symptom being a burning sensation on the tongue. Regular tongue scraping can prevent the excessive growth of the hairy coating and alleviate any discomfort.