The Effects of Smoking on Hair Health: A Systematic Review

Arash Babadjouni; Delila Pouldar Foulad; Bobak Hedayati; Evyatar Evron; Natasha Mesinkovska

doi:10.1159/000512865

The Effects of Smoking on Hair Health: A Systematic Review

Skin Appendage Disord. 2021 Jun;7(4):251-264. doi: 10.1159/000512865. Epub 2021 Feb 24.

Authors

Arash Babadjouni^{1

2}, Delila Pouldar Foulad¹, Bobak Hedayati¹, Evyatar Evron³, Natasha Mesinkovska¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Dermatology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.
² Midwestern University - Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Glendale, Arizona, USA.
³ Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Abstract

Smoking is not only a preventable cause of significant systemic disease but also affects the follicular growth cycle and fiber pigmentation. Ambient tobacco smoke exposure results in nicotine accumulation in hair follicles and the hair shaft. This review summarizes the evidence on the association between smoking and hair health, as denoted by alopecia and premature hair graying (PHG). In July 2020, a review of the literature using PubMed/MEDLINE and CINAHL databases identified 32 studies investigating the relationship between smoking, PHG, and alopecia (androgenetic alopecia and frontal fibrosing alopecia). The prevalence of hair loss and PHG is more prevalent in smokers than nonsmokers. Smoking is associated with negative effects on hair health as evidenced in PHG and alopecia. Smoking status should be assessed in patients who are presenting to their dermatologist for evaluation of alopecia and PHG.

Keywords: Alopecia; Hair loss; Nicotine; Premature hair graying; Smoking.

Publication types

Review