Review of quality of life studies in women with alopecia

Alopecia is a dermatologic condition that affects the pilosebaceous unit in both men and women. In addition to a thorough medical history and physical examination, a host of diagnostic tools may be warranted to differentiate nonscarring and scarring alopecias. Female pattern hair loss represents the most common form of hair loss experienced by up to 40% of women by a certain age. Although alopecia is a benign disorder, even the most negligible amount of hair loss can be devastating to a patient's self-esteem, self-image, and overall quality of life.