Beyond The Follicle: Exploring Psychiatric Comorbidities In Androgenetic Alopecia
January 2026
in “
SKIN The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine
”
TLDR Androgenetic alopecia patients often experience higher rates of depression and anxiety, suggesting mental health screening before finasteride treatment.
This systematic review explores the psychiatric comorbidities associated with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and their potential overlap with post-finasteride syndrome (PFS). Analyzing 26 studies, it identifies elevated rates of depression and anxiety in AGA patients, with depression more prevalent in women (55%) and anxiety more common in men (78%). Personality disorders are also more frequent, though the causality is unclear. The review suggests that AGA patients have a heightened baseline psychiatric vulnerability, which may predispose them to PFS-like symptoms. It recommends mental health screening before starting finasteride treatment and emphasizes a personalized approach to optimize treatment outcomes and minimize harm.
