In medical terms, alopecia has traditionally been considered a minor problem, with mainly cosmetic consequences. However, people with alopecia experience considerable psycho-emotional stress and impaired quality of life. The harmful effects of alopecia on psychosocial well-being are not surprising if we take into account the importance attributed to hair in society, especially in the case of women. Hair has been considered a symbol of beauty and health for centuries. Its loss is thought to diminish attractiveness and is considered a sign of aging, with a negative effect on self-esteem and social life.1

As in other dermatologic conditions, the severity of alopecia is not a good predictor of its impact on quality of life.2 Therefore, it is particularly important to have tools to measure quality of life in patients with alopecia. In this field, findings of Guerra-Tapia et al.3 in this edition of Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas, are especially valuable. The authors present their cross-cultural validation of the Hair Specific Skindex-29 scale in Spanish.

Questionnaires have proven to be very useful in the field of psychodermatology and play a key role in providing personalized medical care. In contrast with its complex design and validation,4 a good questionnaire should be easy and quick to complete by the patient. The methodological rigor with which Guerra-Tapia et al.3 have carried out the cross-cultural validation of Hair Specific Skindex-29 enables us to guarantee this scale a place in our clinical practice.