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. 2020 Jun;6(3):177-179.
doi: 10.1159/000507296. Epub 2020 May 16.

Alopecia Areata and Toxic Metals

Paolo Daniele Pigatto  1 , Silvia Mariel Ferrucci  2 , Lucia Brambilla  2 , Gianpaolo Guzzi  3
Affiliations

Alopecia Areata and Toxic Metals

Paolo Daniele Pigatto et al. Skin Appendage Disord. 2020 Jun.

Abstract

Toxic metals are not so rare but are often neglected causes of alopecia areata in men and women. Thallium, arsenic, selenium, and mercury are the most common cause of metals-related alopecia, which is what Vicky Yu and colleagues' found. Other than the presence of thallium, arsenic, mercury, and selenium, cadmium, bismuth, lithium, and copper should also be taken into account when dermatologists are considering toxic metals as a potential cause of alopecia areata in humans.

Keywords: Acquired hair loss; Alopecia universalis; Humans; Metals poisoning; Zinc deficiency.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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