Vitamin D Deficiency in an Alopecia Referral Clinic During a 3-Month Period: The Need to Pursue Systemic Screening

Alopecia is typically viewed as a localized process, and comorbidities are not usually analyzed. The authors examine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among patients attending an alopecia clinic during a 3-month period. The data showed that 79% of patients had vitamin D deficiency, and the average value of low vitamin D was 19.1 mg/mL in patients. Vitamin D levels have not been examined extensively in skin disorders, and it is not clear whether vitamin D levels are correlative or causative in alopecia. The co-occurrence of both findings at such a dramatic level suggests the need for evaluation of this laboratory value in the alopecia population.