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.

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