Exploring the Potential Links between Telogen Effluvium, Alopecia Areata, Pressure-Induced Alopecia, and General Anesthesia: A Narrative Review.

BACKGROUND

Alopecia areata (AA), pressure-induced alopecia (PIA), and telogen effluvium (TE) are nonscarring forms of hair loss reported in patients undergoing surgical procedures under general anesthesia (GA). While AA is primarily autoimmune and stress-mediated, PIA arises from prolonged scalp pressure during surgery, and TE is typically triggered by metabolic or physiological stressors that induce a premature transition of anagen hairs into the telogen phase.

OBJECTIVE

This review aims to explore the emerging evidence linking GA to the onset or exacerbation of these alopecic types.

METHODS

Authors review currently available literature found in MEDLINE and Google Scholar databases and present it in a structured way.

RESULTS

Currently available literature supports the existence of a link between GA and AA, PIA, and TE, and proposes several potential mechanisms including immune dysregulation, ischemia, hypoxia, and systemic stress responses on the basis of current findings.

LIMITATIONS: Despite existing evidence, significant gaps remain in understanding the associations between various forms of alopecia and GA, owing to a lack of high quality, structured research.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a possible link between GA and various forms of alopecia, although further research to clarify the relationships, identify at-risk individuals, and inform perioperative hair loss management strategies is needed.