Alopecia Areata And Hair Loss

Alopecia Areata and hair loss is one of the topics that aren’t talked about enough.

Many people avoid the topic altogether as it gives them low-self-esteem.

But I can assure you that they’re might be a treatment to help your condition.

Have a read through and you might find the answer.

Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune disorder that causes your hair to fall out, most likely, in clumps and leave different sized gaps in your scalp. The amount of hair loss distinctive in each person.

Some people can lose a lot and others lose less and is not as noticeable. For most people, you can have your hair growing back which might fall out again or you can have hair growing back which won’t fall out.

There are different types of Alopecia which can differ from person to person. Alopecia Areata is known to be the most common. There are rare types which are Alopecia Areata Totalis (losing all your hair on your head), Alopecia Areata Universalis (loss of hair all over your body), Diffuse Alopecia Areata (sudden thinning of hair rather than patches of hair falling out) and Ophiasis Alopecia Areata (causes hair loss around the sides and back of your head).

The Symptoms Of Alopecia Areata…

• The main symptom of Alopecia is hair loss.
• You may be able to notice small bald patches on your scalp, these patches may get bigger and grow into a bald spot
• Hair grows into a bald spot and falls out in other places
• You lose a lot of hair over a short time
• Hair falls out more in winter
• Fingernails and toenails may become red and brittle.

The causes of Alopecia Areata…

An autoimmune disease is when your immune system attacks your body. With Alopecia Areata, it’s the hair follicles that are attacked. Scientists and doctors don’t know why it happens but they think that it’s all down to genes which makes it more likely to trigger hair loss.

As mentioned in one of my previous articles Androgenic Alopecia is also known as male/ female pattern baldness. Men and women have different symptoms. For men, it causes balding and a receding hair line, but in women it’s hair thinning or a widening in the parting.

Dihydrotestosterone is a hormone (the male sex hormone) which attacks hair follicles and weakens them causing hair to fall out. Women also have testosterone. So when testosterone and estrogen is unbalanced, it triggers Androgenic Alopecia.

A dermatologist from Beverly Hills states that some women have a condition called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), this is where the body makes so much estrogen that some gets converted to testosterone which can impact on hair thinning and hair loss.

Alopecia Areata can also be triggered by Asthma, Hay-fever and Stress. Telogen Effluvium is a type of Alopecia when hair sheds excessively. This can happen due to stress, childbirth, medications, physical trauma, restrictive dieting and life changes.

Who can get Alopecia Areata?

You can more likely to get Alopecia Areata:

• If you have a family member who has it
• Asthma
• Seasonal Allergies
• Thyroid disease
• Vitiligo
• Down Syndrome
• Pernicious Anemia

Alopecia Treatment

Sadly, it can’t be cured. Getting it treated might help your hair grow back. It could take time and a lot of consistency, so be prepared to wait and be patient.

Cortico-steroids

This is an anti-inflammatory drug prescribed for autoimmune diseases. These can also be given as an injection into the scalp as well as other problem areas. You can also get this prescribed as a pill, ointment or a cream. The disadvantage of cortico-steroids is that it can take a long time to work.

Topical Immunotherapy

This happens when you have too much hair loss or it starts to happen a lot more. Chemicals are applied to the scalp to generate an allergic reaction. When or if it works, the reaction makes the hair grow back.

Minoxidil (Rogaine)

This treatment has been the go-to for many people. It has been used to treat pattern baldness in men and women. It can take up to 12 weeks to see a difference in the result. But some people who have been using this treatment have been unsuccessful and disappointed to see that it hasn’t helped. This treatment works best when it is used with other hair loss treatments.

In Summary…

Alopecia Areata is not usually a critical medical condition but it can cause stress, anxiety and depression. There are many support groups to help you deal with your condition. Always check with your doctor as hair loss could also mean that you might have an underlying condition which needs to be checked. Always talk to your doctor before taking any supplements or starting a treatment.

Annie- Editor/ Owner of Hair Growth Products For You!