Alopecia in Lupus: Experience from a Tertiary Referral Centre

March 2012 in “ Indian Journal of Rheumatology ”

Alakes Kumar Kole, Rammohan Roy

alopecia telogen effluvium lupus hair scarring alopecia discoid lesions alopecia areata alopecia totalis

TLDR Most lupus patients in the study experienced hair loss, which greatly affected their mental and social well-being.

The study from North Bengal Medical College and Hospital involved 50 lupus patients and found that 80% suffered from alopecia. The most common type was telogen effluvium (40%), followed by 'lupus hair' (20%), scarring alopecia with discoid lesions (14%), and alopecia areata (10%). There were no instances of alopecia totalis. 'Lupus hair' correlated with higher disease activity, and 30% of participants reported a decline in quality of life due to the recurring nature and scarring of alopecia. The research concluded that although alopecia in lupus patients is not fatal, it has a significant negative impact on their psychosocial health.

View this study on lww.com →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Research cited in this study

1 / 1 results

research Lupus Panniculitis Clinically Simulating Alopecia Areata

28 citations, July 2002 in “Australasian Journal of Dermatology”

Lupus can look like hair loss from alopecia areata but needs different treatment.

Related Community Posts Join

6 / 1000+ results

community Diffuse hair loss and scalp biopsies

in Research 692 upvotes 4 months ago

Scalp biopsies are crucial for diagnosing hair loss conditions like Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA) and retrograde hair loss, as treatments like finasteride and dutasteride may not be effective if other conditions are present. Combining PPAR-GAMMA agonists with retinoids could improve treatments for conditions like Lichen Planopilaris.

community I’m 14 years old and I’m losing more hair than my dad. I’ve gone to the doctor 2 times because of this and I’ve received no help. I’m starting to feel like It’s worthless and my hairs gonna look like this forever. I don’t know how anyone could help me but it’s always worth a shot.

in Treatment 4 years ago

A 14 year old who is experiencing hair loss and has not received any help from the doctor, with advice being given to try different doctors, get tested for underlying conditions and intolerances, buzz it short as an option and treatments that could slow down or reverse the hair loss such as minoxidil, finasteride, RU58841 and addressing the cause of the hair loss.

community Finasteride not working isnt it MPB?

in Finasteride/Dutasteride 5 upvotes 7 months ago

A user is concerned that finasteride isn't working for their hair loss, questioning if it's due to male pattern baldness or low iron levels. They are advised to take finasteride daily and get blood work done.

community Starting Spironolactone, any ladies in here with experience or success?

in Female 56 upvotes 1 year ago

A female user starting Spironolactone treatment for thinning hair, and others sharing their experiences with Minoxidil and oral/sublingual Minoxidil as treatments.

community Vitamin D deficiency strongly correlates with androgenic alopecia, FMPH and telogen effluvium

in Research/Science 164 upvotes 2 months ago

Vitamin D deficiency is linked to hair loss, and supplementation with vitamin D can improve conditions like androgenic alopecia and telogen effluvium. Users discussed various dosages of vitamin D, emphasizing the importance of getting blood tests to determine the appropriate amount.

community I feel like people here shrug off nutritional issues too quickly. Particularly for Retrograde Alopecia.

in Chat 8 upvotes 1 year ago

The user believes Retrograde Alopecia may be linked to vitamin imbalances, specifically from taking too much Vitamin E, A, Zinc, and Selenium, and suggests it could be a middle ground between Androgenic Alopecia and Telogen Effluvium. Treatments for hair loss mentioned include Androgen inhibitors and improving lifestyle factors like nutrition and sleep, with topical melatonin also recommended for Retrograde Alopecia.

Similar Research

5 / 1000+ results

research Alopecias in Lupus Erythematosus

39 citations, October 2018 in “Lupus Science & Medicine”

Different types of hair loss in lupus need careful diagnosis for proper treatment.

research Skin

2 citations, January 2011 in “Elsevier eBooks”

Skin problems are common in Lupus patients and can indicate the disease's severity, requiring specific treatments and lifestyle changes.

research Hair and Scalp Changes in Cutaneous and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

46 citations, June 2018 in “American Journal of Clinical Dermatology”

Hair loss is common in lupus patients and can be permanent or reversible, depending on the type, with various treatments available.

research Lupus Erythematosus and the Skin

2 citations, January 2004 in “Elsevier eBooks”

Lupus affects the skin in various ways, and proper skin examination is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.

research Hair and Scalp Dermatoscopy (Trichoscopy)

2 citations, July 2018 in “Elsevier eBooks”

Trichoscopy is a useful tool for diagnosing and managing hair and scalp conditions, often better than traditional methods.