Can Hair Loss Assessments Predict the Severity of Zinc Deficiency in the Pediatric Population? A Prospective Observational Study

This study, conducted on 5,200 pediatric patients in Jordan, found that 3.1% had both hair loss and zinc deficiency, with a mean zinc level of 51.3 μg/dL. It revealed that specific hair abnormalities, such as patchy hair loss, diffuse hair loss, scaly scalp, and changes in hair texture or color, were significant predictors of zinc deficiency severity. The findings suggested that physical examination of hair and scalp could effectively predict serum zinc deficiency in children.