Research Mentor Name

Meena Moossavi

Research Mentor Email Address

mmoossav@wayne.edu

Institution / Department

Wayne State University

Document Type

Research Abstract

Research Type

clinicalresearch

Level of Research

no

Abstract

Title:

Efficacy of Hypnosis as a treatment for Alopecia

Introduction:

Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness in which someone is more receptive to suggestions and modeling, and it can address psychological and physical symptoms that are aggravated by conscious and unconscious triggers.The intended outcome is a change in certain behaviors or patterns of thinking that patients have which can mitigate their stress load. Stress can induce and exacerbate alopecia, and patients often suffer increased stress due to the psychosocial burden of having a dermatological disease. A study showed that high levels of cortisol releasing hormones (CRH) were found to suppress hair shaft elongation and induce the regression phase of the hair cycle.

Methods:

A literature search was conducted on PubMed in October 2023 using the search terms “Hypnosis” AND “Alopecia”. Exclusion criteria included articles written in a language other than English. References that were not pertinent were removed from consideration. The literature search yielded 17 results. Three articles were excluded since they are not published in English.

Results:

There are several case reports and series that report hair regrowth and better mental wellbeing after hypnotic sessions. There have been three non controlled cohort studies. In the first study, only one patient experienced hair regrowth, while in the second one, 9 out of 12 participants had significant hair regrowth. All three studies reported an increase in well-being and a decrease in anxiety and depression.

Discussion:

Hypnosis can be an effective complementary treatment for patients suffering from alopecia, especially those with concurrent self esteem issues.

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

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