Hair Loss Impact on Quality of Life of Patients with Oncological Diseases – Pilot Study

This pilot study, conducted with 25 oncology patients experiencing hair loss due to cytotoxic chemotherapy, aimed to assess the impact of hair loss on quality of life. The study found that hair loss significantly affects social life, perception, and relationships for both men and women, with a general quality of life score of -0.74, indicating a low quality of life. While hair loss had minimal impact on activities like shopping and sports for men, and household chores for women, it caused discomfort and depression in most participants. Women particularly noted the negative impact on social life and equated the loss of eyebrows and eyelashes with scalp hair loss, whereas men prioritized scalp hair. The study validated the HLIV vignette as an effective tool for assessing the daily life impact of hair loss in cancer patients.