Mutombo Tshitupa Mira¹*, Iteke Mohesa¹, Kakiesse Musumba Veronique¹, Odimba Tundanonga René¹ and Matanda Nzanza Richard²

¹Department of Dermatology, University of Kinshasa, DR Congo ²ENT Department, University of Kinshasa, DR Congo

*Corresponding Author: Mutombo Tshitupa Mira, Department of Dermatology, University of Kinshasa, DR Congo.

Received: March 07, 2025; Published: March 21, 2025

Abstract

Context: Alopecia is a major concern for women in sub-Saharan Africa. Unfortunately, data on this condition is almost non-existent in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Objective: Describe the epidemioclinical profile of alopecias in women in the city-province of Kinshasa.

Methods: Cross-sectional study analyzing data collected from 100 women with alopecia attending open-air hair salons over a period of 6 months. The parameters of interest were sociodemographic and clinical.

Results: The median age was 30.5 years (interquartile range of 22 years). Single individuals (50%), students/pupils (28%), and followers of revivalist churches were the most numerous (49%). The majority of women did not consume either alcohol (76%) or tobacco (99%), and almost all were free of chronic diseases (96%). Half of the women had alopecia that had been progressing for more than 4 years (50%). Alopecia gradually developed in the majority of women (81%), and 86% of women exhibited localized forms, with a preferential bitemporal-frontal topography (41%). Most women were unaware of the circumstances surrounding the onset of their alopecia (55%), and traction alopecia was the most commonly observed clinical form (80%).

Conclusion: Traction alopecia is the domain of young women in Kinshasa. This survey highlights the importance for young women in our community to allow adequate rest time between hairstyles to avoid continuous tension on the same area of the scalp, to use gentle hair accessories, to minimize the use of chemical products and heating devices on fragile hair.

Keywords: Alopecia; Women; Hair Salons; Kinshasa

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Citation

Citation: Mutombo Tshitupa Mira., et al. “Epidemiological and Clinical Profile of Alopecia in Women in Kinshasa".Acta Scientific Medical Sciences 9.4 (2025): 147-152.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Mutombo Tshitupa Mira., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.