Mutombo Tshitupa Mira ¹*, Iteke Mohesa ¹, Kakiesse Musumba Veronique ¹, Odimba Tundanonga René ¹ and Matanda Nzanza Richard²

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

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

Received: March 23, 2025; Published: April 06, 2025

Abstract

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

Objective : To describe the epidemioclinical profile of alopecia in women in the city-province of Kinshasa

Methods: Cross-sectional study analyzing data collected from 100 women with alopecia frequenting open-air hair salons, during 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). Singles (50%), students (28%) and followers of revival churches were the most numerous (49%). The majority of women did not consume alcohol (76%) or tobacco (99%) and almost all were free of chronic diseases (96%). Half of the women had alopecia that had been evolving for more than 4 years (50%). Alopecia gradually set in in the majority of women (81%) and 86% of women had localized forms, with a preferential bitemporo-frontal to pography (41%). Most women were unaware of the circumstances of the onset of their alopecia (55%) and traction alopecia was the most common clinical form (80%).

Conclusion: Traction alopecia is the prerogative of young women in Kinshasa. This survey highlights the importance for young women in our environment to allow adequate rest time between two hairstyles to avoid continuous tension on the same area of the scalp, to use soft styling accessories, to minimize the use of chemicals and heating devices on fragile hair.

Keywords: Alopecia; Women; Hair Salons; Kinshasa

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Citation

Citation: Mutombo Tshitupa Mira., et al. “Epidemio-clinical Profile of Alopecia in Women in Kinshasa". Acta Scientific Paediatrics 8.3 (2025): 42-48.

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.