Association Between Natural Hair Color, Race, And Alopecia

July 2024 in “ Dermatology and Therapy ”

Kanika Kamal, David H. Xiang, Katherine Young, David E. Fisher, Arash Mostaghimi, Nicholas Theodosakis

alopecia areata AA natural hair color black hair dark brown hair red hair blonde hair UK Biobank epidemiology alopecia hair loss

TLDR Darker hair colors may increase the risk of alopecia areata, while lighter hair colors may decrease it.

This study analyzed the relationship between natural hair color, race, and the lifetime risk of alopecia areata (AA) using data from UK Biobank patients. The results showed that individuals with black hair had a significantly higher risk of AA compared to those with dark brown hair (OR 1.71, p < 0.001), while those with red or blonde hair had a decreased risk (OR 0.74 and 0.62, respectively, p < 0.05). No racial differences in AA prevalence were found among individuals with black hair. The findings suggest that darker hair colors may be linked to a higher risk of AA, while lighter hair colors may be linked to a lower risk, potentially explaining racial variations in AA incidence and influencing dermatologists' understanding of the disease's epidemiology.

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Association Between Natural Hair Color, Race, And Alopecia

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research Characteristics of Androgenetic Alopecia in Asian Populations

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research Genome-Wide Association Study in Alopecia Areata Implicates Both Innate and Adaptive Immunity

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