The Prevalence and Association of Micronutrient Deficiencies with Hair Loss in Children and Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Hair loss is one of the most frequent dermatological complaints that causes significant stress not only for adult patients but also for children and adolescents and their families. Since the latter are more prone to metabolic deficiencies, the association between this complaint and micronutrient deficiencies is worth evaluating. This study did not explore the prevalence of the disease among the specified age group but only found the association between micronutrient deficiency (vitamin D and iron) among the selected study sample. Methods: a cross-sectional observational study, the study sample was taken from a dermatology clinic in the city of Sirte – Libya, over a time period of 6 months, patients were selected according to their clinical presentation (two main complaints: hair loss and alopecia areata) and according to age (from birth to 15 years old), after careful history, clinical examination and investigations, a total of 35 cases were included and their serum levels of Vit D, Ferritin and calcium were registered and analyzed by SPSS program. Results: A total of 35 cases were evaluated, comprising 27 female and 8 male patients. The mean age of the participants was 11.03 years, with a median age of 12 years and a standard deviation of 3.50198. Of the cases examined, 29 patients (82.86%) reported experiencing hair loss, while 8 patients (17.14%) were diagnosed with alopecia areata. Within the hair loss group, 96.55% were found to have low levels of vitamin D, 34.48% presented with low serum calcium, and 68.97% exhibited low serum iron levels. Among the patients with alopecia areata, 83.3% had a deficiency in vitamin D, 50% had hypocalcemia, and 100% exhibited iron deficiency. Conclusion: The findings indicate a significant prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies associated with hair loss and alopecia areata in children and adolescents. This observation may suggest a potential etiological relationship between these deficiencies and hair-related symptoms. Nevertheless, further large-scale studies are necessary to validate this association.