Hair loss pattern due to chemotherapy-induced anagen effluvium: a cross-sectional observation.

BACKGROUND

Anagen effluvium is a common side effect of chemotherapy, but few studies have examined its clinical characteristics.

OBJECTIVE

This study was aimed at evaluating the hair loss caused by chemotherapeutic agents.

METHODS

Sixty-four patients with anagen effluvium were evaluated in the study. Chemotherapeutic agents were classified into 5 different groups. The pattern of hair loss was analyzed when specific involvement of the hairline was obvious.

RESULTS

Forty-six (71.9%) of the 64 total patients maintained hairs along their hairline. Hairs were maintained with a total hairline in 20 (31.3%), frontal hairline in 13 (20.3%) and occipital hairline in 12 (18.8%) patients. Among the 20 males with patterned hair loss, the following hairlines were preserved: occipital in 10 (50%), total in 7 (35%) and frontal in 3 (15%). Among the 25 females with patterned hair loss, hairlines were preserved as total in 13 (52%), frontal in 10 (40%) and occipital in 2 (8%). However, no significant differences were detected in hair loss patterns according to age, associated symptoms, chemotherapeutic agent group or combination of chemotherapeutic agents.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that anagen effluvium induced by chemotherapeutic agents represents patterned hair loss.