Iron Deficiency and Nonscarring Alopecia in Women: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The systematic review and meta-analysis by Yulia Treister-Goltzman and colleagues investigated the link between iron deficiency and nonscarring alopecia in women, analyzing 36 studies with 10,029 participants. The study found that women with nonscarring alopecia had significantly lower ferritin levels, with a mean difference of -18.51 ng/dL, and a 21% prevalence of ferritin deficiency. It suggested that maintaining higher ferritin levels could benefit women with hair loss, although iron-deficiency anemia was not more common in these women. The study concluded that addressing iron deficiency might improve hair growth outcomes, but further research was needed to confirm a causal relationship and the effectiveness of iron supplementation.