Modeling Oxidative Stress-Linked Telogen Effluvium: A Monte Carlo Simulation Using Published Trichoscopy Norms and Cannabis Exposure Distributions
December 2025
Studysummary This simulation study found that higher cannabis exposure in a virtual population was associated with increased hair shedding severity and reduced follicular density, but these results are based on modeled data and cannot establish causal relationships.
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This study used a Monte Carlo simulation to explore the potential link between cannabis exposure and telogen effluvium, a form of hair loss, in a synthetic dataset of 140 individuals. The simulation incorporated published data on follicular density, cannabis use, and hair loss-related quality of life measures. Results indicated that higher cannabis exposure was associated with increased severity of hair loss symptoms (SAHL) and reduced follicular density, with stronger effects observed in female-assigned profiles. Although these findings are based on modeled data and cannot establish causality, they suggest that cannabis exposure may influence hair loss patterns through oxidative stress pathways. Future research should incorporate empirical data to validate these preliminary hypotheses.