Use of Supplements for Hair Loss in Skin of Color Patients

A retrospective review was conducted on 384 skin of color (SOC) patients with alopecia, comparing their use of supplements to 1471 Caucasian patients with alopecia. The study found that 58.3% of SOC patients used herbs, vitamins, or other supplements, with 37% using these specifically for hair loss. When compared to Caucasian patients, SOC patients were significantly more likely to use supplements for their hair loss (P = .009). More Asian patients endorsed taking supplements than not (47.8% vs 33.1%, P = .03), and males were less likely to take supplements (15.2% vs 25.6%, P = .02). The most used vitamins were biotin (18.3%), multivitamins (21.4%), vitamin D (23.2%), vitamin B12 (5.4%), fish oil/omega-3 (4.9%), calcium (3.6%), and iron (7.1%). The study suggests that the larger influence of complementary and alternative medicine in SOC patients with hair loss may stem from a higher level of medical mistrust and lack of access to dermatologists. The study concludes that while supplements may offer some benefits of increased hair density and reduced hair loss, their true efficacy is conflicted and they are often high cost. The study also highlights the need for patient education regarding the risks of supplement use.