A Clinico-Epidemiological Study on Hair Disorders in Patients in a Tertiary Care Centre, Chennai

Background: Hair disorders represent a common yet understudied dermatological concern in tertiary care settings, with significant psychosocial impacts. This study aimed to characterize the clinico-epidemiological profile of hair disorders in patients presenting to a South Indian tertiary care center. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted over 6 months (n=150) using convenient sampling. Patients underwent detailed clinical evaluation, dermoscopy (60%), KOH mount (16.7%), and scalp biopsy (6.7%) when indicated. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v28.0. Results: The study revealed androgenetic alopecia (AGA) as the most prevalent disorder (36.7%), showing strong male predominance (58.8%). Telogen effluvium (TE) accounted for 28% of cases, with significant female preponderance (41.5%). Alopecia areata comprised 20% of cases. Key risk factors included stress (43.3%), nutritional deficiencies (20%), and family history (32%). Dermoscopy demonstrated high diagnostic utility, particularly for AA (exclamation mark hairs) and AGA (hair diameter variability). At 3-month follow-up, TE showed the best response (80% improvement), while AGA remained stable in 48.9% of cases. Stress emerged as a significant modifiable factor associated with both TE (62%) and AA (28%). Conclusion: This study highlights distinct epidemiological patterns of hair disorders in a South Indian population, with AGA being most prevalent. The findings underscore the importance of early dermoscopic evaluation, routine screening for stress and nutritional deficiencies, and comprehensive patient counseling regarding disease chronicity. These results emphasize the need for tailored diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in hair disorder management within similar demographic settings.