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ISSN 0210-5187 (Electronic)

2012, Number 4

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Med Cutan Iber Lat Am 2012; 40 (4)

Alopecia female hair integration system: a study of the psychological impact

Guerra-Tapia A, González-Guerra E, Cruz-Bertolo J

Language: Spanish
References: 32
Page: 103-108
PDF size: 101.06 Kb.


ABSTRACT

Rationale: It is well know that female alopecia has a severe psychological impact. However, there are no studies assessing the psychological changes that may occur when the patient’s image improves due to the implementation of a Hair Integration System (HIS). A HIS is a partial, personalized, semipermanent hair prosthesis made of natural hair with the same characteristics of color, thickness, and texture than the patient’s hair and that is adjusted to the portion of the scalp lacking the hair and that is integrated hair by hair without any surgical intervention, covering the areas affected and yielding a homogenous appearance. The aim of this work was to know to what extent the implantation of HIS improves the psychological status of patients suffering from different types of alopecia.
Material and methods: We studied 24 women with severe to moderate alopecia of different types consecutively consulting to the Instituto Médico Dermatológico (IMD) of Madrid (Spain) between February and July of 2011 to be treated by HIS. The patients completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) before and 3 months after the implantation of HIS. The time course of anxiety and depression disorders was compared by using the McNemar test.
Results: Anxiety: at the study beginning, 83.33% of the patients showed different anxiety levels. Three months after the implantation of HIS, 74.99% of the patients showed a statistically significant improvement (p value ‹ 0.01) in the anxiety status. Depression: at the study beginning, 66.67% of the patients showed depression signs. Three months after, the signs of depression were no longer existent in 100% of the patients.
Conclusions: this study confirms that alopecia disorders have a negative psychological impact (anxiety, depression) in women. HIS is an efficacious tool for the cosmetic treatment of alopecia, with almost immediate positive psychological effects.


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