TLDR Thallium exposure can cause serious health issues, including nerve damage and hair loss.
Thallium compounds were rapidly absorbed and widely distributed in the body, with the highest initial concentration in the kidneys and excretion through urine, feces, and hair. Acute thallium poisoning caused gastroenteritis, collapse, peripheral neuropathy, and alopecia after 2-3 weeks, while chronic exposure led to vague ill health, paresthesias, and hair loss. Environmental exposure from industrial pollution could exceed normal dietary intake, necessitating biomonitoring and emission reduction in affected areas.
52 citations,
May 2009 in “Human & experimental toxicology” Hair loss and polyneuropathy improved, but severe vision impairment persisted.
96 citations,
September 2017 in “Analytica Chimica Acta” Hair elemental analysis could be useful for health and exposure assessment but requires more standardization and research.
April 2024 in “Skin appendage disorders” Environmental pollutants can damage hair health and cause hair loss.
January 2024 in “Current research in toxicology” Thallium is highly toxic, causing severe health issues, and Prussian blue is the best antidote.
26 citations,
January 2018 in “Skin appendage disorders” Thallium, mercury, selenium, and colchicine strongly cause hair loss.
2 citations,
June 1980 in “International Journal of Dermatology” Scalp biopsies are important for diagnosing hair loss conditions.
