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Hair Loss and Zinc Deficiency: A Cross-Sectional Study
Ori Liran1,2, Shiraz Vered1, Bar Cohen1
1Division of Health, Maccabi Healthcare Services, Tel Aviv 6812509, Israel.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
|November 27, 2025
Summary
This study found that while patients with hair loss had slightly lower zinc levels, the difference was not clinically significant. Therefore, routine zinc testing for hair loss is not recommended.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Hair loss is a frequent patient complaint.
- Zinc's role in hair loss is debated, yet zinc level testing is common.
- Previous studies show conflicting results on zinc and hair loss.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if lower zinc levels correlate with hair loss complaints.
- To investigate the clinical significance of zinc levels in patients experiencing hair loss.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cross-sectional study.
- Compared zinc levels of 2279 patients with hair loss to a control group.
- Data collected from 2000-2020, including 23,975 patients.
Main Results:
- Patients with hair loss had a median zinc level of 96 µg/dL.
- Control group had a median zinc level of 99 µg/dL.
- The difference in zinc levels was statistically significant (p < 0.001) but minor.
Conclusions:
- Lower zinc levels in hair loss patients are minor and lack clinical significance.
- Routine zinc level testing for hair loss investigation is not advised.
- Further research on zinc supplements for hair loss is warranted.
