Utility of Laboratory Testing in Patients With Female Pattern Hair Loss

July 2019 in “ Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology ”

Jean-Phillip Okhovat, Dustin H. Marks, Athena Manatis-Lornell, Dina Hagigeorges, Maryanne M. Senna

female pattern hair loss FPHL hyperandrogenism ferritin thyroid metabolic studies iron capacity studies female pattern baldness iron studies

TLDR Lab tests for female hair loss have unclear usefulness; consider based on symptoms.

The usefulness of laboratory markers to screen for associated conditions in female pattern hair loss (FPHL) has not been clearly established. A retrospective review of 367 FPHL patients presenting to an academic hospital specialty hair loss clinic between October 2015 and February 2019 was conducted. Testing for hyperandrogenism was performed in women with FPHL only when clinical features suggestive of this were present on exam. Ferritin levels seemed to be clinically meaningful at baseline with 30.8% of patients having low values at their baseline visit. The utility of ordering thyroid, metabolic, and other iron capacity studies for patients with FPHL may be of lower diagnostic value and should be considered based on clinical impression.

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Research cited in this study

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