Association of Male Androgenetic Alopecia with Psychosocial and Sexual Well-being in Early Middle-aged Men: A Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 Study.

Abstract

Androgenetic alopecia is the most common type of hair loss in men. It is reported to have a strong effect on the quality of life, especially at a young age. However, there are only a few studies evaluating the relationship between androgenetic alopecia and psychosocial well-being in the general population. This study examined the association of androgenetic alopecia and its severity with psychosocial symptoms and sexual issues at a population level in male subjects aged between 33 and 35 years belonging to the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 Study (NFBC1986) (n = 1,027). During 2019 to 2020, cohort subjects participated in a large follow-up study and completed diverse health questionnaires, including information on their hair status, psychosocial symptoms (the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 [HSCL-25] and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screener [GAD-7]) and sexual health. Androgenetic alopecia was reported as follows: No androgenetic alopecia n = 468 (45.6%), mild n = 435 (42.4%), moderate n = 62 (6.0%), and severe androgenetic alopecia n = 62 men (6.0%). There was no significant association of androgenetic alopecia presence or its severity with depression, anxiety, or sexual symptoms. In conclusion, contrary to previous findings, a relationship between androgenetic alopecia and psychosocial problems in early midlife was not found.