Korean J Dermatol.  2020 Feb;58(2):108-114.

Clinical Study of Patients with Female Pattern Hair Loss Over a 10-year Period

• Choi HM
• Kim SM
• Kim JB
• Ro BI

Abstract

Background
While many studies have investigated the epidemiology and clinical features of female pattern hair loss (FPHL), few of these are long-term studies.
Objective
This study evaluated and compared a large cohort of long-term FPHL patients to short-term FPHL patients from other studies.
Methods
A retrospective chart review was conducted at the Alopecia Clinic of the Department of Dermatology in Myongji Hospital of 982 FPHL patients during a 10-year period from March 2007 to February 2017.
Results
The 3,549 alopecia patients included 2,342 (66.0%) with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) patients; among them, 982 (27.7%) had FPHL. Patients in their 30s (24.6%) were the most affected group of FPHL patients, followed by those in their 20s (21.7%), 40s (20.3%), 50s (13.8%), and teenagers (9.2%). The FPHL patients included 301 (30.5%) with a paternal familial predisposition, 136 (13.7%) with a maternal familial predisposition, and 70 (7.0%) with both familial predispositions. The FPHL patients were classified according to the Ludwig classification as type 1 (62.7%), type 2 (33.2%), or type 3 (3.9%). Abnormalities in serum total cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels were observed in 70 (14.3%) of 488 patients, and in 49 (21.2%) of 231 patients, respectively. The most common comorbid conditions were seborrheic dermatitis, followed by hypertension, hyperlipidemia, thyroid diseases, diabetes mellitus, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and anemia. When seborrheic dermatitis is excluded, thyroid diseases and PCOS were most common in patients in their 20s and 30s. Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus were most common in patients in their 40s.
Conclusion
Compared to studies from 20∼30 years ago, the proportion of FPHL patients among total alopecia patients appeared to increase significantly. In addition, the proportion of teenage patients has also increased, likely due to early puberty.

Keyword

Androgenetic alopecia; Epidemiology; Female pattern hair loss; Puberty; Teenagers