Medical Case Reports

Psychological impacts of alopecia areata

Introduction: Alopecia areata (AA) is one of the commonest causes of non-scarring alopecia. Since hair is a vital part with very high cosmetic concern, hair loss might have significant negative impact on patient’s life. Objective of this study was to investigate depression & anxiety in patients with AA. Methods: A total of 75 consecutive patients of AA were interviewed over a year period in the dermatology outpatient department. Relevant history and examination findings were recorded in the preset pro-forma. For the assessment of depression and anxiety; Nepali version of Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory were used respectively. Results: Among 75 patients, prevalence of depression and anxiety were 66.7% and 73.3% respectively with median depression score= 5 (IQR=0.0- 10.0) and median anxiety score= 5 (IQR=0.0-11.0). Among depressed ones, 82.0% had minimal and 18.0% had moderate depression, while none of them had severe depression. Similarly, 89.0% AA patient had mild and 11.0% had moderate anxiety, while none of them had severe anxiety. Conclusion: Anxiety and depression are common psychological problems in AA patients. Because of their direct impact on treatment outcome, we treating dermatologist must be aware of them; and we should counsel our patients for consultation with psychiatrist on time for their maximum benefit.

Suchana Marahatta