Journal of International Research in Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Aims: The study aims to evaluate the impact of a wide spectrum of hair disorders on quality of life (QoL), to identify the epidemiological and clinical factors associated with greater impairment, and to assess the change in QoL after six months of treatment.

Study Design: Prospective, observational, analytical study with longitudinal follow-up.

Place and Duration of Study: Dermatology Department, Ibn Sina University Hospital Center, Rabat, Morocco, over a 10-month period (October 2023 to July 2024).

Methodology: Consecutive adult patients presenting with a hair disorder completed a validated dialectal Arabic version of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Pregnant or breastfeeding women, patients receiving chemotherapy and patients with a known psychiatric disorder were excluded. Age, sex, marital status, educational level, place of residence, disease duration and consultation delay were recorded, and the DLQI assessment was repeated after six months of treatment.

Results: A total of 318 patients were included (median age 43 years, range 18–85), with a marked female predominance (81.8%). The median delay before the first consultation was 24 months, and only 12.9% of patients presented within the first six months. Frontal fibrosing alopecia was the most frequent diagnosis, followed by androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata. The mean DLQI score was 9.54 (moderate impact), and 36.5% of patients reported a severe impact. The highest scores were recorded in folliculitis decalvans and the lowest in benign scalp tumours; aesthetic concern was the most affected domain. Higher DLQI scores were significantly associated with age under 30 years (P = .04), rural residence (P = .04) and single marital status (P < .001), whereas presentation within the first six months was associated with lower scores (P < .01). No significant association was found with sex, disease duration or educational level. After six months of treatment, the mean DLQI score improved significantly (P < .001), with comparable benefit across frontal fibrosing alopecia, androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata.

Conclusion: Across a wide spectrum of hair disorders, QoL impairment was frequent (87.2% of patients) and greatest among younger, single and rural patients and among those with folliculitis decalvans. The DLQI proved useful both for identifying the most affected patients and for monitoring treatment response. Beyond medical treatment, integrating psychological or psychiatric support into routine trichological care may further improve patient outcomes.