Dermoscopic study of hair loss in females and its correlation with serum ferritin levels
Keywords:
Dermoscopy, alopecia, serum ferritinAbstract
Background Alopecia can be inherited or acquired, cicatricial or non-cicatricial. Sometimes the diagnosis can pose difficulties, and in such cases, dermoscopy can aid in the diagnosis. The treatment can also be difficult due to its multiple etiologies. Iron deficiency is an important cause of alopecia but its relationship with alopecia remains controversial. Methods This was a hospital based, cross sectional observational study with 70 female patients. After taking consent, dermoscopic evaluation of the scalp was done and photographs were taken. Serum ferritin levels were done for all the subjects. Software (SPSS version 16.0 statistical package) was used throughout. Mean and standard deviation were used for continuous variables. Results Most common cause of alopecia was telogen effluvium. Most common dermoscopic finding was thin hair. In our study, we found a correlation between serum ferritin levels and certain patterns of alopecia like telogen effluvium, female pattern hair loss (FPHL), alopecia areata. Conclusion Dermoscopy of the scalp can aid in the diagnosis of difficult conditions. Serum ferritin and haemoglobin levels are reduced in certain types of alopecia like telogen effluvium, FPHL and alopecia areata.ÂReferences
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