Psychological and social factors related to androgenetic alopecia in men and women: an integrative review

Abstract

Hair loss is a health problem that affects men and women all over the world. Androgen alopecia (AA) is the most common form and  effects can be dramatic on the appearance of these people, which can have a significant impact on mental health and quality of life. Thus, the aim of this integrative literature review is to understand the psychological and social factors related to  in men. This is an integrative literature review of existing publications on psychological and social factors related to  in men, on PubMed, BVS, SciELO and Google Scholar. Among the most highlighted negative effects in the literature, lower self-esteem, changes in the perception of physical attraction, depression and anxiety. The concern with the evaluation of others and the fear of embarrassing situations are among the main annoyances. It appears that the literature is still incipient,  studies published in the last century. Despite this, it is possible to state that alopecia has impacts on mental health and interpersonal relationships.