BP I BulletinofIntegrative Psychiatry Buletin dePsihiatrieIntegrativa Alopecia – focus on negative emotional impact Mădălina Mocanu, Dan Vâță, Anisia I. Alexa, Iancu C. Elena, Dragoș F. Solovăstru, Adriana I. Pătrașcu, Laura Gheucă Solovăstru Mădălina Mocanu - M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Dermatology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, Romania Dan Vâță - M.D., Ph. D., Lecturer, Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, Romania. Anisia I. Alexa - M.D., Ph. D., Assistant Professor, Department of Ophtalmology, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, Romania Iancu C. Elena - Assistant Professor, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, Romania Dragoș F. Solovăstru – Student, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, Romania Adriana I Pătrașcu - M.D., Ph. D. student, Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, Romania. Senior Dermatovenerolog in Dermatology Clinic County Emergency Hospital “St. Spiridon” Iasi, Romania Laura Gheucă Solovăstru - M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, Romania. ABSTRACT Alopecia is a benign pathologic condition characterized by total or partial hair loss on the scalp and, sometimes, on the entire body. The disease can develop during childhood, but it predominantly affects adults of both sexes. The triggering factors or those that favor the condition’s progression are heterogeneous and difficult to fully identify. Alopecia has various clinical forms with development towards full recovery or with residual scars. Even though the clinical inflammatory process that affects the hair follicle is not life threatening or painful, alopecia has a strong negative echo at the psycho-emotional level, since hair is a key element of self image, of self esteem, of the socialization manner. Most alopecia patients have appropriated distorted patterns in relation to thoughts, emotions and behaviors connected to their self image and, in time, they can develop depressive or anxiety disorders induced by this unaesthetic matter. The changing of these patterns through psychological counseling along with dermatological treatment must represent a priority in the management strategy of the patient with alopecia.