Available via license: CC BY-NC 4.0
Content may be subject to copyright.
651
investigAtion
Comparison of quality of life in patients with androgenetic alopecia
and alopecia areata*
Muzeyyen Gonul1, Bengu Cevirgen Cemil1, Havva Hilal Ayvaz1, Eylem Cankurtaran2, Can Ergin1
Mehmet Salih Gurel3
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/abd1806-4841.20186131
Abstract: BaCkground: Androgenetic alopecia is one of the most common forms of hair loss. Alopecia areata is a common
autoimmune disorder which causes hair loss. It has been previously reported that both alopecia disorders can have negative
effects on quality of life. However, only a few studies have compared the effects of the two disorders.
oBjeCtive: The aim is to show the impact of alopecia on patients’ quality of life and compare patients with androgenetic alo-
pecia and alopecia areata.
Methods: 82 androgenetic alopecia and 56 alopecia areata patients were recruited. All patients were evaluated with the Hair-
dex scale and dermatology quality of life instrument in Turkish (TQL), and the scores were statistically compared according to
age, sex, employment and education status, and severity of illness in the two groups. Also, female patients were statistically
evaluated according to whether they wore headscarves.
results: Androgenetic alopecia patients had significantly higher total Hairdex scores in terms of emotions, functioning, and
symptoms, while self-confidence was significantly higher in the alopecia areata patients. No significant differences were found
in stigmatization or TQL scores between groups. The Hairdex scale and TQL scores did not show differences between the
groups in terms of wearing headscarves.
study liMitations: The validity and reliability of the Hairdex index have not been established in Turkey.
ConClusions: Based on the Hairdex scale, our findings revealed that androgenetic alopecia patients are more affected by their
disorder than alopecia areata patients. Although androgenetic alopecia is common and neither life-threatening nor painful, it
is a stressful disorder with increased need for improvement in the patient’s quality of life.
Keywords: Alopecia; Alopecia areata; Female; Male; Quality of life
s
Received 07 June 2016.
Accepted 04 June 2017.
* Work conducted at the Department of Dermatology, University of Health Sciences, Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Financial support: None.
Conflict of interest: None.
1 Department of Dermatology, University of Health Sciences, Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
2 Department of Psychiatry, University of Health Sciences, Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
3 Department of Dermatology, University of Istanbul Medeniyet, Istanbul, Turkey.
Mailing address:
Bengu Cevirgen Cemil
E-mail: dbcemil@yahoo.com
©2018 by Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia
INTRODUCTION
Hair loss is a worldwide problem. Androgenetic alopecia
(AGA) is a common hair loss disorder with a genetic predisposition
that can occur in both sexes and at any age after puberty.1 AGA is
biologically benign and is not a disease in the conventional sense.2
Alopecia areata (AA) is characterized by sudden onset hair
loss in well-circumscribed round/oval patches without scarring. In
severe cases, hair loss can involve the entire scalp (alopecia totalis)
or body (alopecia universalis).3
An Bras Dermatol. 2018;93(5):651-8.
652 Gonul M, Cemil BC, Ayvaz HH, Cankurtaran E, Ergin C, Gurel MS
An Bras Dermatol. 2018;93(5):651-8.
A Turkish QOL instrument (TQL)
Select the answer that best describes your situation in the last month, for each of the following questions. If the question is not
related to your condition, you may simply mark the option “never = not at all”. The information you give here is for research and
will not be used for any other purpose. Your participation is greatly appreciated
1. Do you feel uncomfortable, frustrated, or stressed because of your skin disease?
a) Always
b) Often
c) Sometimes
d) Rarely
e) Never = Not at all
2. Do you feel that your physical appearance has deteriorated due to your skin disease, and do you look in the mirror too often or
avoid looking in the mirror entirely?
a) Always
b) Often
c) Sometimes
d) Rarely
e) Never = Not at all
3. Does your skin disease prevent you from doing household chores and negatively affect your school and/or work life?
a) Always
b) Often
c) Sometimes
d) Rarely
e) Never = Not at all
4. Do you feel uncomfortable when people in the community ask you about your skin condition, reminding you of the disease?
a) Always
b) Often
c) Sometimes
d) Rarely
e) Never = Not at all
5. Because of your skin disease, do you avoid your friends or refrain from attending social situations?
a) Always
b) Often
c) Sometimes
d) Rarely
e) Never = Not at all
6. Have problems from your skin disease (like bleeding, wounds, pain, itching, patches) limited your daily life?
a) Always
b) Often
c) Sometimes
d) Rarely
e) Never = Not at all.
7. Do you think people stay away or avoid close contact with you (such as shaking hands or kissing) because of your skin disease?
Do you avoid people for this reason?
a) Always
b) Often
c) Sometimes
d) Rarely
e) Never = Not at all
8. Has your sex life been affected because of your skin disease?
a) Always
b) Often
c) Sometimes
d) Rarely
e) Never = Not at all
9. Do you get desperate thinking that your skin disease will never improve or will relapse?
a) Always
b) Often
c) Sometimes
d) Rarely
e) Never = Not at all
10. When treating your skin disease, have you ever thought that you are just wasting time and money?
a) Always
b) Often
c) Sometimes
d) Rarely
e) Never = Not at all
11. Does your skin disease keep you from eating what you want, getting dressed, grooming, or bathing?
a) Always
b) Often
c) Sometimes
d) Rarely
e) Never = Not at all
charT 1: Dermatology QoL instrument in Turkish (TQL)
Comparison of quality of life in patients with androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata 653
Hair is an important component of identity and self-image.
Hair loss can lead to a variety of psychological difficulties and have
a negative impact on quality of life (QoL).2,4 Loss of self-confidence,
lowered self-esteem, and heightened self-consciousness are com-
mon responses to hair loss, particularly for women.5,6 People with
alopecia are more likely to develop depression and anxiety.5
AA and AGA patients were evaluated separately with dif-
ferent dermatology-specific questionnaires to assess QoL. However,
these two diseases did not compare with the hair-specific QoL in-
dex.1,2,4-6 The main aim of this study was to assess QoL in patients
with AA or AGA according to the Hairdex and Dermatology QoL
instrument in Turkish (TQL), and to compare these results between
the two groups (Chart 1).
METHODS
Study Design and Patients
The protocol for this study was approved by the Research
Ethics Committee of the Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Educational and
Research Hospital, and informed consent was obtained from all of
the patients.
Eighty-two patients with AGA and 56 patients with AA that
were seen at the dermatology outpatient clinic were included in this
study. Additional inclusion criteria for the study group were age
greater than 18 years, literacy, and absence of psychiatric disorders.
Demographic and clinical data were collected on each patient. Age,
gender, educational status, profession, duration of disease, and se-
verity of disease were recorded. In male and female AGA patients,
Hamilton Norwood scale and Ludwig scale, respectively, were used
to estimate disease severity. In AA patients, disease severity was cat-
egorized as follows: focal, multifocal (one part), multifocal (more
than one part), or alopecia totalis. Alopecia universalis patients
were excluded.
Patients were evaluated for their QoL using the TQL and
Hairdex scales. TQL consists of 11 questions, each related to a dif-
ferent aspect of skin disease (social, emotional, cognitive, sex life,
daily activity, and symptoms) and QoL.7 Answers were scored from
0 to 4 according to the grading system. The maximum score was
44, and higher scores indicated lower quality of life. Hairdex is an
instrument developed to measure QoL in patients with disorders of
the hair and scalp. The scale includes questions in five categories:
a) emotions; b) functioning; c) symptoms; d) self-confidence; and e)
stigmatization. Answers were graded from 0 to 4 by the subjects ac-
cording to the frequency with which they occurred. Higher subscale
scores for emotions, functions, symptoms, and stigmatization indi-
cate more adverse effects on QoL, but a lower score on the self-con-
fidence subscale suggests lower self-confidence or more adverse
effect on QoL.8-11
TQL and Hairdex scores obtained in the AGA and AA
groups were compared statistically. Scores were compared accord-
ing to age, sex, employment status, schooling, and severity of disor-
der in the two groups. Also, female patients were statistically evalu-
ated according to whether they wore headscarves.
Statistical Analysis
SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version
16.0) was used to analyze the data. Descriptive statistics for vari-
ables were expressed as means ± standard deviations. The indepen-
dent sample t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, chi-square test,
and ANOVA were used to analyze AGA and AA patient data. A
p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant for
all the analyses.
RESULTS
Of the 82 AGA patients, 52 were female (63.4%) and 30
(36.6%) were male. Of the AA 56 patients, there were 25 females
(44.6%) and 31 males (55.4%). Mean ages were 30.13 ± 11.10 years
for AGA patients and 29.34 ± 8.13 years for AA patients. Duration of
disease was 37.68 ± 35.77 months and 44.30 ± 73.41 months for AGA
and AA, respectively. There were no statistically significant differ-
ences in age, duration of disease, or schooling between AGA and
AA patients. Table 1 shows the main clinical characteristics.
Patients with AGA had significantly higher total Hairdex
and Hairdex subgroup scores in terms for emotions, functioning,
and symptoms, while the difference in stigmatization was not statis-
tically significant. However, self-Confidence was significantly lower
in AGA patients (Table 2). No significant differences were found in
TQL scores between the two groups (Table 2). In patients with AGA,
no statistically significant differences were found in total Hairdex,
Hairdex subgroup scores, and TQL scores according to sex, employ-
ment, or schooling (Table 3). In female patients with AGA, elevated
scores of Hairdex subgroup for symptoms were seen with increas-
ing Ludwig stages (Figure 1). Meanwhile, lower Hairdex subgroup
scores for symptoms were associated with higher Hamilton stages
in male patients with AGA (Figure 2).
Total Hairdex and Hairdex subgroup scores for emotions
and symptoms were significantly higher in female patients with AA
(Table 3). There was no statistically significant difference in Hairdex
scores of AA group according to schooling. In addition, statistically
higher Hairdex subgroup scores for emotions, functioning, stigma-
tization, and self-confidence, total Hairdex, and TQL scores were
seen in AA patients with increasing disease severity. Unemployed
patients with AA had higher total Hairdex and Hairdex subgroup
scores for emotions, functioning, and symptoms. Meanwhile, em-
ployed patients with AA scored higher in the Hairdex subgroup for
self-confidence (Table 4).
AGA and AA patients were divided into two groups based
on age in years (Group 1: 18-28 and Group 2: 29+). In AGA and AA
patients, there was no statistically significant difference between
younger and older patients according to total Hairdex, Hairdex sub-
groups, or TQL.
In AGA patients, there was no statistically significant correla-
tion between duration of disease and Hairdex or TQL scores. Mean-
while, there was a positive correlation between duration of disease
and scores in terms of total Hairdex and Hairdex subgroup scores
for emotions, functioning, symptoms, and stigmatization, and TQL
scores in AA patients. Interestingly, the results showed a negative
correlation between duration of disease and self-confidence (Table 5).
Hairdex scale and TQL scores showed no difference be-
tween the groups in female patients according to wearing head-
scarves.
An Bras Dermatol. 2018;93(5):651-8.
654 Gonul M, Cemil BC, Ayvaz HH, Cankurtaran E, Ergin C, Gurel MS
Table 1: Patients’ main clinical characteristics
AGA AA
Female Male Female Male
Number of patients 52 30 25 31
Age (mean±standard deviation) 33.98±11.64 23.47±5.79 30.48±7.95 28.42±8.29
Duration of disease in months
(mean±standard deviation)
39.15±37.65 35.13±32.72 61.52±70.88 30.42±73.58
Schooling
(number of patients)
Elementary 24 1 9 11
Secondary 15 17 7 15
University 13 12 9 5
Employment status
(number of patients)
Student 9 15 8 5
Employed 10 14 9 24
Unemployed 33 1 8 2
Headscarves
(number of patients)
With 27 10
Without 25 15
Severity of
disease (number
of patients)
Ludwig 1 2
238
312
Hamilton 1 6
29
2a 1
35
3a 3
3 vertex 4
5a 1
6 1
AA Focal 11 6
Multifocal (one part) 2 7
Multifocal
(more than one part)
9 17
Alopecia totalis 3 1
Table 2: Comparison of AGA and AA patients’ Hairdex and TQL scores
AGA AA p-value
Mean Standard Deviation Mean Standard Deviation
Total Hairdex 68.43 31.58 57.02 27.03 0.025
Emotions 34.45 20.21 24.42 16.99 0.002
Functions 5.71 4.07 3.95 3.40 0.007
Symptoms 8.85 6.64 6.67 5.02 0.031
Self-condence 13.82 6.81 17.36 7.28 0.005
Stigmatization 5.60 6.13 4.65 5.97 0.372
TQL 14.69 10.15 13.54 9.85 0.506
DISCUSSION
Alopecia is a common dermatological condition. It is typi-
cally viewed as a benign process with mostly cosmetic consequenc-
es. However, the psychological and psychosocial impact of hair loss
can be significant. Over the centuries, hair has always been consid-
ered a sign of beauty and health. Scalp hair is a human characteristic
that conveys aspects of identity, self-image, and ethnicity. Western
culture, in particular, places a premium on physical appearance.
Therefore, appearance-altering conditions such as alopecia can be
psychosocially distressing. Hair loss gives rise to lower personal
An Bras Dermatol. 2018;93(5):651-8.
Comparison of quality of life in patients with androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata 655
FIgure 1: Symptom scores of female AGA patients
according to Ludwig stages
FIgure 2: Symptom scores of male AGA patients
according to Hamilton stages
attractiveness, negative self-esteem, fear of growing old, and neg-
ative repercussions on social life.12-14 Therefore, QoL assessment has
become increasingly important, and many different indices that are
generally assessed by self-report questionnaires are used to evalu-
ate the effects of the disease on QoL.15,16
Quality of life has been evaluated previously using differ-
ent scales in both AGA and AA patients, and it has been reported
that these diseases impact QoL negatively.10,17
Fischer et al. developed the Hairdex score as a tool for
evaluation of disease-specific quality of life in patients with hair
disorders. It consists of a 48-item questionnaire with hair-specif-
ic questions, and it allows assessing the effects of hair conditions
in different categories such as functioning, symptoms, emotions,
self-confidence, and stigmatization.8,18
Only a few publications have assessed QoL in alopecia pa-
tients using the Hairdex score.8-11 According to Schmidt et al., who
evaluated 50 female patients with diffuse alopecia and AGA by Hair-
dex, diffuse hair loss had a negative impact on functioning, emotion,
self-confidence, and stigmatization.9 Sawant N et al. evaluated QoL
between two age groups of males with AGA and reported that the
older age group had worse functioning, more symptoms, and higher
stigmatization scores. However, emotional subscales appeared to be
more affected in the younger age group. In addition, the younger
age group was significantly more self-assured.10 In this study, AGA
and AA patients were divided into two age groups, and there was
no statistically significant difference between the two groups in total
Hairdex, Hairdex subgroups, or TQL according to age.
Symptom
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
Ludwig
Hamilton
Symptom
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 2a Stage 3 Stage 6Stage 3a Stage 5a
Stage 3
vertex
An Bras Dermatol. 2018;93(5):651-8.
Table 3: Comparison of AGA and AA patients’ Hairdex and TQL scores according to gender
AGA AA
Female Male p-
value
Female Male p-
value
Mean Standard
Deviation
Mean Standard
Deviation
Mean Standard
Deviation
Mean Standard
Deviation
Total Hairdex 73.15 33.83 60.23 25.74 0.056 66.40 28.19 49.20 23.73 0.019
Emotions 37.15 21.07 29.77 18.01 0.098 31.92 18.02 18.17 13.41 0.003
Functions 6.31 4.31 4.67 3.43 0.062 3.96 3.70 3.93 3.18 0.978
Symptoms 9.73 7.07 7.33 5.61 0.095 8.16 4.77 5.43 4.96 0.043
Self- condence 13.56 7.39 14.27 5.78 0.631 16.24 7.46 18.30 7.12 0.303
Stigmatization 6.40 6.88 4.20 4.29 0.078 6.12 7.04 3.43 4.68 0.111
TQL 15.48 11.04 13.28 8.33 0.314 16.00 10.90 11.55 8.59 0.103
Table 4: Hairdex and TQL scores of AA patients according to employment status
AA
Unemployed Employed p-value
Mean Standard Deviation Mean Standard Deviation
Total Hairdex 72.10 29.37 53.67 25.63 0.049
Emotions 37.30 18.60 21.56 15.41 0.028
Functions 6.20 3.36 3.44 3.23 0.034
Symptoms 9.60 4.62 6.02 4.92 0.046
Self-condence 12.00 7.53 18.56 6.75 0.026
Stigmatization 7.00 6.93 4.13 5.69 0.246
TQL 18.80 9.74 12.39 9.60 0.081
Table 5: Correlation of AGA and AA patients Hairdex and
TQL scores and disease duration
AGA AA
Correlation
Coefcient
p-
value
Correlation
Coefcient
p-
value
Total Hairdex 0.11 0.318 0.44 0.001
Emotions 0.09 0.415 0.47 0.001
Functions 0.05 0.661 0.35 0.008
Symptoms 0.01 0.915 0.29 0.030
Self Condence 0.06 0.586 -0.29 0.033
Stigmatization 0.16 0.149 0.54 0.001
TQL -0.12 0.294 0.42 0.001
To our knowledge, there have been only three studies com-
paring patient QoL with AA and AGA using different scales with
varying results.19-21 Reid EE et al. evaluated QoL in female patients
with AA, AGA, and telogen effluvium by Skindex-16 and report-
ed that mean global Skindex-16 scores did not differ significantly
across hair loss types. However, the Skindex-16 symptoms domain
showed significant differences among hair loss types, with AA pa-
tients scoring the lowest and AGA patients the highest.20 Yaylı S et al.
evaluated QoL in AA and AGA patients and healthy controls using
the Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Skin-
dex-29. They reported that QoL in patients with AA was severely
impaired according to Skindex-29 and all three sub-units of this test
(symptomatic, functional, and emotional).19 According to a study by
Cartwright T et al. in which 48% of cases were alopecia areata, 28%
alopecia universalis, 13% alopecia totalis, and 9% AA (the remain-
der were unclassified), QoL was significantly lower in patients with
AGA than in all three other types, as measured by the Dermatolo-
gy Life Quality Index (DLQI).21 All of these studies were performed
with nonspecific scales for hair disorders. Our study evaluated
QoL in AGA and AA patients using both TQL and Hairdex, both
of which are specific scales for hair disorders. Moreover, the QoL
of patients with AGA and AA was assessed according to age, gen-
der, educational level, occupation, Ludwig and Hamilton grades in
AGA patients, severity of illness in AA patients, duration of illness,
and wearing headscarves.
The study found statistically significant differences for sev-
eral parameters according to Hairdex, but the same was not true
for TQL. We thus believe that the effects of hair disorders on QoL
should be assessed by specific scales such as Hairdex, which would
be more reliable in this case.
656 Gonul M, Cemil BC, Ayvaz HH, Cankurtaran E, Ergin C, Gurel MS
An Bras Dermatol. 2018;93(5):651-8.
In this study, specific scores for functioning, emotions, and
symptoms were significantly higher in AGA patients when the
groups were compared according to Hairdex subgroups. In con-
trast, self-confidence was significantly higher in AA patients. There
was no statistically significant difference in stigmatization scores.
The results show that QoL in AGA patients is more affected than
originally thought, even though it is considered biologically benign.
It has been reported that women with alopecia experience
specific psychosocial problems including loss of self-confidence,
low self-esteem, and heightened self-consciousness. Women also
report feeling upset, angry, and worried in response to their con-
dition.20 Hair is also likely to play a more pivotal role in identity
and self-image for women. In line with social stereotypes, men
were more likely to express concern over interference in their work,
whereas women were more concerned about the social impact of
such a visible condition. Cartwright T et al. reported that women
with alopecia showed worse illness perceptions, greater difficulty
in coping, and lower QoL when compared to men.21 Our study pro-
duced similar results to the literature, and the AA group of female
patients scored statistically higher in total Hairdex and Hairdex sub-
groups for emotions and symptoms. Female patients with AGA also
had elevated Hairdex subgroup scores in terms of symptoms ob-
served with increasing Ludwig stages. Meanwhile, lower Hairdex
subgroup scores for symptoms were seen with increasing Hamilton
stages in male patients with AGA. The study showed that although
men were affected by AGA, women experienced more anxiety from
severe AGA, which is consistent with the literature.
A previous study showed statistically significant differences
in the DLQI scores, which was observed in AA patients according
to severity of the disease. DLQI scores increased with the severity
of AA among the various forms of severe AA and were the highest
in patients with alopecia universalis.22 In our study, and consistent
with the literature, significantly increased total Hairdex and Hair-
dex subgroup scores for emotions, functioning, stigmatization, and
self-confidence and TQL scores were observed in AA patients with
increasing disease severity.
To our knowledge, no studies have evaluated QoL accord-
ing to employment status of patients with AGA and AA. In the cur-
rent study, unemployed AA patients scored higher on total Hairdex
and Hairdex subgroups for emotions, functioning, and symptoms,
while no statistically significant difference was found for total Hair-
dex, Hairdex subgroups, or TQL according to employment status in
AGA patients. However, employed patients with AA scored higher
in the Hairdex subgroup for self-confidence. Unemployed patients
with AA may be more preoccupied with their appearance, because
they may have more idle time.
Hairdex and TQL were assessed according to patients’ edu-
cational status, and no statistically significant differences were found
between the AA and AGA groups, suggesting that both groups were
affected similarly by alopecia, regardless of educational level.
The current study found no statistically significant correla-
tion between duration of disease and Hairdex and TQL scores in
AGA patients. However, the study showed a positive correlation be-
tween duration of disease and total Hairdex and Hairdex subgroup
scores for emotions, functioning, symptoms, and stigmatization and
TQL scores, and a negative correlation between duration of disease
and self-confidence in AA patients. Consistent with these results, Qi
S et al. found that long duration was more of an impairment to QoL
in AA patients. In chronic diseases, patients would tend to adapt
gradually to the disease and improve their health status over the
course. While continued changes in appearance made QoL worse
over time in AA patients,23 AGA patients appeared to have adapted
to the disease.
Previously, Erol O et al. reported that scores on physical, psy-
chological, and overall well-being in women wearing headscarves
were lower than in women not wearing scarves.24 In the present study,
Hairdex and TQL did not differ between AGA and AA patients ac-
cording to whether they wore headscarves. The results confirm that
hair is important for women, regardless of wearing headscarves, and
that hair loss affected both groups of patients similarly.
One limitation to this study is that the validity and reliabili-
ty of the Hairdex index have not been confirmed in Turkey. The de-
velopment of a collecting-specific questionnaire or the investigation
of the validity and reliability of an existing questionnaire is highly
labor-intensive and time-consuming. Although there is no validated
test in Turkey for hair disorders, the current study’s findings can
provide a preliminary idea on quality of life in these patients.
CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, AGA patients are affected from the disor-
der more than previously thought. Dermatologists should thus be
aware of this distressing condition, recognizing the increasing need
for improvement in patients’ quality of life. Male patients can cope
with the disease over time. Alopecia has an impact on QoL regard-
less of educational level and may affect unemployed AA patients to
a higher degree. Disease severity causes more anxiety in women,
independently of whether they wear headscarves. q
Comparison of quality of life in patients with androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata 657
An Bras Dermatol. 2018;93(5):651-8.
How to cite this article: Gonul M, Cemil BC, Ayvaz HH, Cankurtaran E, Ergin C, Gurel MS. Comparison of quality of life in patients with
androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata. An Bras Dermatol. 2018;93(5):651-8.
REFERENCES
1. Han SH, Byun JW, Lee WS, Kang H, Kye YC, Kim KH, et al. Quality of life
assessment in male patients with androgenetic alopecia: result of a prospective,
multicenter study. Ann Dermatol. 2012;24:311-8.
2. Cash TF. The psychosocial consequences of androgenetic alopecia: a review of
the research literature. Br J Dermatol. 1999;141:398-405.
3. Olsen EA, Hordinsky MK, Price VH, Roberts JL, Shapiro J, Canfield D, et al.
National Alopecia Areata Foundation: Alopecia areata investigational assessment
guidelines--Part II. National Alopecia Areata Foundation. J Am Acad Dermatol.
2004;51:440-7.
4. Hunt N, McHale S. The psychological impact of alopecia. BMJ. 2005;331:951-3.
5. Williamson D, Gonzalez M, Finlay AY. The effect of hair loss on quality of life. J Eur
Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2001;15:137-9.
6. Van Der Donk J, Hunfeld JA, Passchier J, Knegt-Junk KJ, Nieboer C. Quality of
life and maladjustment associated with hair loss in women with androgenetic
alopecia. Soc Sci Med. 1994;38:159-63.
7. Gurel MS, Yanik M, Simsek Z, Kati M, Karaman A. Quality of life instrument for
Turkish people with skin diseases. Int J Dermatol. 2005;44:933-8.
8. Fischer TW, Schmidt S, Strauss B, Elsner P. Hairdex: a tool for evaluation of disease-
specific quality of life in patients with hair diseases. Hautarzt. 2001;52:219-27.
9. Schmidt S, Fischer TW, Chren MM, Strauss BM, Elsner P. Strategies of coping and
quality of life in women with alopecia. Br J Dermatol. 2001;144:1038-43.
10. Sawant N, Chikhalkar S, Mehta V, Ravi M, Madke B, Khopkar U. Androgenetic
Alopecia: Quality-of-life and Associated Lifestyle Patterns. Int J Trichology.
2010;2:81-5.
11. Ceren E, Ekmekci TR, Koslu A. The evaluation of quality of life in women with
androgenetic alopecia using Hairdex. Şeh Tıp Bülteni. 2008;42:22-6.
12. Ross EK, Tan E, Shapiro J. Update on primary cicatricial alopecias. J Am Acad
Dermatol. 2005;53:1-37.
13. Sampogna F, Tabolli S, Abeni D. Impact of different skin conditions on quality of
life. G Ital Dermatol Venereol. 2013;148:255-61.
14. Katoulis AC, Christodoulou C, Liakou AI, Kouris A, Korkoliakou P, Kaloudi E, et al.
Quality of life and psychosocial impact of scarring and non-scarring alopecia in
women. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2015;13:137-42.
15. Ayala F, Nino M, Fabbrocini G, Panariello L, Balato N, Foti C, et al. Quality of life and
contact dermatitis: a disease-specific questionnaire. Dermatitis. 2010;21:84-90.
16. Fabbrocini G, Panariello L, De Vita V, Vincenzi C, Lauro C, Nappo D, et al. Quality
of life in alopecia areata: a disease-specific questionnaire. J Eur Acad Dermatol
Venereol. 2013;27:e276-81.
17. Güleç AT, Tanriverdi N, Dürü C, Saray Y, Akçali C. The role of psychological
factors in alopecia areata and the impact of the disease on the quality of life. Int J
Dermatol. 2004;43:352-6.
18. Trüeb RM. Follow-Up. In: Trüeb RM. Female Alopecia Guide to Successful
Management. Berlin: Springer; 2013. p.153-7.
19. Yayli S, Tiryaki A, Dogan S, Iskender B, Bahadır S. The Role of Stress in Alopecia
Areata and Comparison of Life Quality of Patients with Androgenetic Alopecia and
Healthy Controls. Türkderm. 2012;46:134-7.
20. Reid EE, Haley AC, Borovicka JH, Rademaker A, West DP, Colavincenzo M,
et al. Clinical severity does not reliably predict quality of life in women with
alopecia areata, telogen effluvium, or androgenic alopecia. J Am Acad Dermatol.
2012;66:e97-102.
21. Cartwright T, Endean N, Porter A. Illness perceptions, coping and quality of life in
patients with alopecia. Br J Dermatol. 2009;160:1034-9.
22. Al-Mutairi N, Eldin ON. Clinical profile and impact on quality of life: seven years
experience with patients of alopecia areata. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol.
2011;77:489-93.
23. Qi S, Xu F, Sheng Y, Yang Q. Assessing quality of life in Alopecia areata patients in
China. Psychol Health Med. 2015;20:97-102.
24. Erol O, Can G, Aydıner A. Effects of alopecia on body image and quality of life
of Turkish cancer women with or without headscarf. Support Care Cancer.
2012;20:2349-56.
658 Gonul M, Cemil BC, Ayvaz HH, Cankurtaran E, Ergin C, Gurel MS
AUTHORS’CONTRIBUTIONS
Muzeyyen Gonul 0000-0003-1914-2175
Approval of the final version of the manuscript, Design and planning of the study,
Preparation and writing of the manuscript, Collecting, analysis and interpretation of
data, Effective participation in research orientation, Intellectual participation in pro-
paedeutic and/or therapeutic conduct of studied cases, Critical review of the literature,
Critical review of the manuscript
Bengu Cevirgen Cemil 0000-0002-2013-8635
Statistical analysis, Approval of the final version of the manuscript, Preparation and
writing of the manuscript, Collecting, analysis and interpretation of data, Effective par-
ticipation in research orientation, Critical review of the literature, Critical review of the
manuscript
Havva Hilal Ayvaz 0000-0002-6576-2431
Collecting, analysis and interpretation of data, Effective participation in research ori-
entation
Eylem Cankurtaran 0000-0002-7337-6653
Design and planning of the study, Effective participation in research orientation
Can Ergin 0000-0002-6156-0322
Intellectual participation in propaedeutic and/or therapeutic conduct of studied cases
Mehmet Salih Gurel 0000-0002-7031-6516
Design and planning of the study
An Bras Dermatol. 2018;93(5):651-8.