Thursday, May 2, 2024

Alopecia Areata: Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

areata hair loss

Chemicals are applied to the scalp to produce an allergic reaction. If it works, this reaction is actually what makes the hair grow back. It also causes an itchy rash and usually has to be repeated several times to keep the new hair growth. Alopecia areata occurs suddenly, typically beginning on the scalp with one or multiple coin-sized circular bald patches that may overlap. However, these patches can also show up on the face — such as the beard and eyebrow areas.

Other treatments

Telogen effluvium is usually self-limited and resolves within two to six months. Treatment involves eliminating the underlying cause and providing reassurance. Potentially causative medications should be discontinued, if possible. Telogen effluvium may last for years if the underlying stress continues. Stopping hair loss indefinitely depends upon the underlying cause.

Treatments for Alopecia Areata

areata hair loss

Even if your hair loss is hereditary, there are treatments that exist that can help slow or reverse hair loss. If possible, talk with your doctor to address your concerns and rule out any serious underlying medical concerns that may be causing your hair loss. This works well for people with inherited baldness since they typically lose hair on the top of the head. Because some hair loss can be progressive, you may need multiple procedures over time. Tinea capitis, also called ringworm of the scalp, is a fungal infection that can affect the scalp and hair shaft. It causes small bald patches that are scaly and itchy.

Preventing alopecia areata

However, most people get it in their teens, twenties, or thirties. Alopecia areata is also the most common type of hair loss in children. Free to everyone, these materials teach young people about common skin conditions, which can prevent misunderstanding and bullying.

There are also resources to help people cope with hair loss. Personal troubles seem to trigger alopecia areata, although this has not been proven scientifically. Telogen effluvium, another form of hair loss, can also be triggered by stress. Learn more about the signs and symptoms of telogen effluvium.

Alopecia areata

areata hair loss

Rub-on (topical) steroid creams or gels may help hair regrowth but do not work as well as steroid injections. It may be worth a try if there are bald patches that are not suitable for steroid injections or whilst waiting to see a specialist to have steroid injections. There is no point continuing with this treatment if there has been no regrowth after 3-6 months. People with alopecia areata have a slightly higher-than-average chance of developing other autoimmune diseases such as thyroid disease, pernicious anaemia and vitiligo. These will sometimes be tested for if there are any symptoms of them alongside the hair loss. Alopecia areata is a condition where patches of hair loss develop, usually on the head.

What are the types of alopecia areata?

If you notice sudden hair loss, always check with a doctor. There can be other reasons for it besides alopecia areata. This is used when there’s a lot of hair loss or if it happens more than once.

Mayo Clinic Press

Hereditary hair loss with age is the most common cause of baldness. Some people prefer to let their hair loss run its course untreated and unhidden. Others may cover it up with hairstyles, makeup, hats or scarves. And still others choose one of the treatments available to prevent further hair loss or restore growth.

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It’s important to keep in mind that hair growth is a complex process and multiple tests may be needed to understand what is causing your hair loss. A biopsy may also be taken if it is initially very unclear what the root causes may be. It’s also the most common cause of hair loss, affecting up to 50% of people. Your dermatologist will help you find the best treatment. It may depend on what type of alopecia areata you have, how mild or severe it is, and how old you are. You may notice changes in your fingernails and toenails.

New bald patches can develop at the same time older ones are regrowing hair. The disease causes hair loss on the scalp, face, and sometimes other body areas, like under the arms or on the legs. People with alopecia areata most often lose hair in circular, coin-sized patches on the scalp, but in more severe cases, they may lose all of their hair. Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease, which means your body’s immune system mistakes your healthy tissues as dangerous and begins attacking them. Some women experience thinning over the lateral scalp.

It’s important to know that no one treatment works for everyone — and treatment is not always recommended. To get a closer look, your dermatologist may use a tool called a dermatoscope. This tool magnifies, giving your dermatologist a better view of what’s happening. This dermatologist is using a dermatoscope to examine a patient’s scalp. Patients should be informed that there is no cure and response to treatments are variable.

Therefore, large bald areas are not suitable for steroid injections. The most common type is alopecia areata where small patches of hair loss, often in circles, appear on the scalp. About 2% of people across the world will experience alopecia areata at some point. They either currently have alopecia areata, they have had it, or they will develop it.

If you lost a large amount of hair on your scalp, you may choose to wear a wig or hairpiece until your treatment starts to work. If you have an obvious loss of eyebrow hair, you may choose to have injections of tiny dots of colored pigments into the eyebrow area (a procedure called dermatography). If you find it hard to cope with the change in your appearance, mention this to your doctor or seek advice from a mental health professional.

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