Abstract:
Alopecia is defined as hair loss beyond the physiological threshold of hair cycle renewal. Whether it is seasonal or pathological, hair loss is the most frequent reason for dermatology consultations, since it has various etiologies. In addition to common factors such as stress, heredity, hormonal disruption, or the use of certain medications, alopecia can also be mediated by dietary intakes low in minerals and vitamins or high in heavy metals. This study concerns 215 patients diagnosed with alopecia in the private institution of dermatology and cosmetic surgery of Dr. KHALIFA Maamar in Mostaganem, between March 2021 and March 2022 and whose OligoCheck tests were available. By using the skin contact spectrophotometer, we attempted to highlight the impact of seasons and intra-tissue disturbances of certain minerals, vitamins and heavy metals on the severity of hair loss. The results obtained reveal that the severity of hair loss was correlated with low mineral content, vitamin deficiency and increased toxicity to heavy metals. The investigation of the impact of seasonal variations on alopecia revealed that hair loss was more pronounced during the winter period. Furthermore, no statistically significant difference between seasonal micronutrient levels and the severity of hair loss was found. From this, we can deduce that alopecia is not only related to intra-tissue concentrations of vitamins, minerals and heavy metals but also to external factors such as climate, stress, fatigue and the cosmetic products used.
