The Assessment and Treatment of Elderly Individuals

In a letter to the editor, Dr. Virginia C. Fiedler addressed the potential link between amphetamine use and diffuse scalp hair thinning, as seen in conditions like female androgenic alopecia or telogen effluium. She argued that the evidence from cited references does not support a cause-effect relationship between long-term amphetamine use and alopecia. Specifically, she referenced a study by Eckert et al. that found only three out of 150 women with diffuse hair loss were taking amphetamines, with no clear temporal relationship between drug use and hair loss. Another report by Alexander on diffuse hair loss in individuals using amphetamines for weight reduction also failed to establish a causal link, as rapid weight loss itself may cause hair loss. Dr. Fiedler concluded that it is difficult to determine the role of amphetamines in diffuse scalp hair loss based on the available information.