study of diffuse alopecia in females

One hundred female patients, in the age range of 14-60 years suffering from diffuse hair loss were studied for pattern of aiopecia and probable causes. Pattern of hair loss was of telogen effluvium in 92% patients, androgenetic alopecia in 7% and anagen defluvium in 1%. The probable causes of diffuse alopecia were found to be psychological stress in 30%, fever in 33%, abortion and delivery in 21%, trauma and surgical operation in 13%, and hypothyroidism in 10%. In 57% patients more than two fac-tors, while in 6% no probable cause could be found on the basis of history. Routine laboratory investiga-tions revealed Hb level less than 12gm% in 96% patients, hypochromic picture on PBF examination in 57% patients, GIT parasites in 13% patients on stool examination, T ₃ value less than 70 p gm/dl in 7% and TSH more than 7IU in 8 % cases. Mircoscopic examination of hairs in all the cases showed (telogen) club root except in one case which showed broken and tapered root end (anagen).