This invention relates to compounds, compositions, and methods useful for modulating Winged Helix Nude (WHN) gene expression using short interfering nucleic acid (siNA) molecules. This invention also relates to compounds, compositions, and methods useful for modulating the expression and activity of other genes involved in pathways of Winged Helix Nude (WHN) gene expression and/or activity by RNA interference (RNAi) using small nucleic acid molecules. In particular, the instant invention features small nucleic acid molecules, such as short interfering nucleic acid (siNA), short interfering RNA (siRNA), double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) molecules and methods used to modulate the expression of Winged Helix Nude (WHN) genes. Such small nucleic acid molecules are useful, for example, for preventing, inhibiting, or reducing hair growth in a subject or organism, for hair removal (e.g., depilation) in a subject or organism, or alternately for treatment of alopecia, severe combined immunodeficiency, or atrichia in a subject or organism, and for any other disease, trait, or condition that is related to or will respond to the levels of Winged Helix Nude (WHN) in a cell or tissue, alone or in combination with other treatments or therapies.