Evaluation of Self-esteem and Dermatologic Life Quality Index in Patients with Telogen Effluvium: A Case-control Study

Background: Telogen effluvium (TE) is a type of nonscarring alopecia, which can be acute or chronic. Hair is an important factor that completes individuals’ physical appearance; feelings of worthlessness and a decreased quality of life (QoL) may be observed in patients with TE. Purpose: This study investigated the impact of TE on self-esteem and QoL. Methods: This case–control study included 100 patients with TE and 100 controls. The sociodemographic and clinical features of the patients with TE were recorded. The TE and control groups were asked to fill out the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) to assess their self-esteem and QoL. Results: Of the 100 patients with TE, 82 (82%) were females, and 18 (18%) were males with a median age of 34 years. In the TE group, the median RSES score was 32, and the DLQI score was 4, while in the control group, they were 31 and 1, respectively. There was no significant difference in self-esteem between the TE and control group. However, the TE group displayed higher QoL scores than the control group. Conclusion: Interventions focusing on improving QoL may be more helpful for patients with TE than those solely targeting self-esteem.