Association Between Natural Hair Color, Race, And Alopecia

July 2024 in “ Dermatology and Therapy ”

Kanika Kamal, David H. Xiang, Katherine Young, David E. Fisher, Arash Mostaghimi, Nicholas Theodosakis

alopecia areata AA natural hair color black hair dark brown hair red hair blonde hair UK Biobank epidemiology alopecia hair loss

TLDR Darker hair colors may increase the risk of alopecia areata, while lighter hair colors may decrease it.

This study analyzed the relationship between natural hair color, race, and the lifetime risk of alopecia areata (AA) using data from UK Biobank patients. The results showed that individuals with black hair had a significantly higher risk of AA compared to those with dark brown hair (OR 1.71, p < 0.001), while those with red or blonde hair had a decreased risk (OR 0.74 and 0.62, respectively, p < 0.05). No racial differences in AA prevalence were found among individuals with black hair. The findings suggest that darker hair colors may be linked to a higher risk of AA, while lighter hair colors may be linked to a lower risk, potentially explaining racial variations in AA incidence and influencing dermatologists' understanding of the disease's epidemiology.

View this study on link.springer.com →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Research cited in this study

12 / 12 results

research Alopecia Areata in Underrepresented Groups: Preliminary Analysis of the All of Us Research Program

10 citations , February 2023 in “Archives of Dermatological Research”

Alopecia areata is more common in Black and Hispanic people but less diagnosed in those with lower socioeconomic status.

research Autoantigen Discovery in the Hair Loss Disorder, Alopecia Areata: Implications of Post-Translational Modifications

11 citations , June 2022 in “Frontiers in immunology”

New protein changes may be involved in the immune attack on hair follicles in alopecia areata.

research A Large Cross-Sectional Survey Study of the Prevalence of Alopecia Areata in the United States

63 citations , March 2020 in “Clinical Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology”

Alopecia areata affects many in the US, impacting quality of life, with limited treatment options.

Integrative Analysis of Rare Copy Number Variants and Gene Expression Data in Alopecia Areata Implicates an Etiological Role for Autophagy

research Integrative Analysis of Rare Copy Number Variants and Gene Expression Data in Alopecia Areata Implicates an Etiological Role for Autophagy

20 citations , June 2019 in “Experimental Dermatology”

The research suggests that autophagy-related genes might play a role in causing alopecia areata.

research Androgenetic Alopecia Treatment in Asian Men

6 citations , July 2018 in “PubMed”

The treatment is safe and very effective for hair growth in Asian men with minimal side effects.

research Race and Alopecia Areata Amongst US Women

37 citations , December 2017 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings”

Black and Hispanic women are more likely to have alopecia areata than white women.

research Primary Cicatricial Alopecia: Diagnosis and Treatment

48 citations , May 2013 in “Canadian Medical Association Journal”

Primary cicatricial alopecia, a rare disorder causing permanent hair loss, is hard to diagnose and treat, with treatments like anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids offering varied results and no guaranteed cure. Psychological support for patients is important, and future research should aim to identify causes of the condition.

research Genetic Basis of Alopecia Areata

40 citations , October 2012 in “Dermatologic clinics”

More research is needed to understand the genetic causes of Alopecia areata to develop better treatments.

Characteristics of Androgenetic Alopecia in Asian Populations

research Marie Antoinette Syndrome

36 citations , June 2009 in “Archives of Dermatology”

Marie Antoinette syndrome causes sudden hair whitening, but its exact cause is unknown.