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The symptom experience of alopecia
1Colleges of Nursing, University of South Florida, Tampa, USA.
Seminars in Oncology Nursing
|November 1, 1995
Summary
Alopecia, or hair loss, is a traumatic cancer side effect impacting self-image and quality of life. Nursing care should focus on patient coping, education, and resource identification for alopecia support.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Dermatology
- Psychology
Background:
- Alopecia is a significant and distressing side effect of cancer treatment.
- Hair loss profoundly impacts patients' self-perception, confidence, and overall quality of life across all age groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the physiological and pathophysiological aspects of hair loss.
- To investigate the psychological impact of alopecia on patients.
- To explore nursing and self-care interventions, and available resources for managing alopecia.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of published articles on alopecia.
- Inclusion of personal experiences of coping with alopecia.
Main Results:
- Hair loss is frequently the most traumatic cancer treatment side effect, leading to depression and humiliation.
- Limited research exists on the efficacy of scalp hypothermia and tourniquets due to concerns about scalp metastases.
- Further research is needed to understand alopecia's impact on patient self-image and quality of life.
Conclusions:
- Nursing interventions are crucial for helping patients and families adapt to alopecia.
- Therapeutic interventions include patient education, resource identification, and supportive listening.
- More studies are required to establish definitive recommendations for hair-preservation techniques and to fully understand the patient experience.