The Role of Iron and Zinc in Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia

In a study from 2005 examining the potential role of iron and zinc in chemotherapy-induced alopecia in children with cancer, researchers compared the hair content of these trace elements in two groups of children: Group A, who were newly diagnosed, and Group B, who had received a course of chemotherapy, with healthy controls. The study found that there was no significant difference in hair content of iron and zinc between the two patient groups. However, iron concentrations in the hair of both patient groups were significantly lower than those of healthy controls, while zinc levels showed no significant difference. The conclusion drawn from this study was that iron and zinc levels in hair do not play a role in chemotherapy-induced alopecia.