Alopecia – focus on negative emotional impact
Alopecia – focus on negative emotional impact

Summary/Abstract: Alopecia is a benign pathologic condition characterized by total or partial hair loss on the scalp and, sometimes, on the entire body. The disease can develop during childhood, but it predominantly affects adults of both sexes. The triggering factors or those that favor the condition’s progression are heterogeneous and difficult to fully identify. Alopecia has various clinical forms with development towards full recovery or with residual scars. Even though the clinical inflammatory process that affects the hair follicle is not life threatening or painful, alopecia has a strong negative echo at the psycho-emotional level, since hair is a key element of self image, of self esteem, of the socialization manner. Most alopecia patients have appropriated distorted patterns in relation to thoughts, emotions and behaviors connected to their self image and, in time, they can develop depressive or anxiety disorders induced by this unaesthetic matter. The changing of these patterns through psychological counseling along with dermatological treatment must represent a priority in the management strategy of the patient with alopecia.

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