Clinical severity does not reliably predict quality of life in women with alopecia areata, telogen effluvium, or androgenic alopecia
June 2011
BACKGROUND:
Hair loss may significantly impact an individual's self-image, and
studies indicate that patients with both clinically apparent and
clinically imperceptible hair loss may have significantly decreased
quality of life (QoL). Moreover, clinical severity of hair loss does
not necessarily predict impact on QoL.
OBJECTIVE:
The aim of this study was to assess QoL in patients (n = 104) with
alopecia areata, telogen effluvium, and androgenic alopecia, and to
compare QoL with hair loss severity (HLS) as independently rated by
both patient and dermatologist.
METHODS:
Questionnaires and clinical assessment tools were used to assess HLS,
and QoL was measured by completion of Skindex-16.
RESULTS:
Overall, patients rated their hair loss as more severe than the
dermatologist, and the patient's HLS rating more strongly correlated
with QoL than the dermatologist's rating. Clinical assessment of HLS
did not reliably predict the patient's QoL, nor did it predict the
patient's perception of HLS.
LIMITATIONS:
A convenience sample was recruited from a referral clinic and
Skindex-16 has not been validated for use in women's alopecia
disorders.
CONCLUSION:
These findings indicate dermatologists should address these
psychosocial and QoL issues when treating patients with alopecia.
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