Alopecia – Symptoms And Treatment
Alopecia areata is a condition that affects the scalp and leads to hair loss. It can also affect other parts of your body. The condition targets both men and women. The hair loss is quick and is more on one side of the scalp than other.
Recent research has established that alopecia areata is a result of a malfunction in the immune system, which leads to autoimmunity. This makes the immune system attack specific body tissues. In this type of hair loss condition, the immune system starts attacking hair follicles and interferes in the formation of hair.
Biopsies of affected scalp of patients have revealed the presence of immune cells in hair follicles, which is an unusual sight. Researchers do not know the cause of such abnormal behavior of immune system.
• Hair that can be easily removed.
• Broken hair.
• Presence of 1-2 oval or round bald patches.
• In men, it surfaces as male pattern baldness. Hair starts thinning at the hairline as well as the top of head.
• In women, it surfaces as female diffuse baldness. Hair thins gradually on the top of head. But, hairline remains unaffected.
Alopecia is sometimes linked to other conditions of autoimmunity such as allergy, rheumatoid arthritis, vitiligo, thyroid disease, lupus, and ulcerative colitis. There have been cases where this condition occurred among members of the same family, thus, implying the role of heredity and genes.
There are several treatments for alopecia. The market is flooded with products for this hair loss condition. You can try creams, shampoos, steroid injections, and other such remedies. There are many medications, including topical gels, immunotherapy, and others.
It has been found that in about 50 percent alopecia patients, hair regrows in a year by itself. Moreover, if your hair takes longer time to thin out, there is lesser probability of it growing back.
There is no particular treatment for this condition. You can opt for a combination of remedies. A balanced diet and healthy lifestyle can also contribute towards correcting the receding hairline. And yes, check your emotional health too. A stressful life makes you more vulnerable to alopecia.
Biopsies of affected scalp of patients have revealed the presence of immune cells in hair follicles, which is an unusual sight. Researchers do not know the cause of such abnormal behavior of immune system.
Symptoms
• Hair that can be easily removed.
• Broken hair.
• Presence of 1-2 oval or round bald patches.
• In men, it surfaces as male pattern baldness. Hair starts thinning at the hairline as well as the top of head.
• In women, it surfaces as female diffuse baldness. Hair thins gradually on the top of head. But, hairline remains unaffected.
Alopecia is sometimes linked to other conditions of autoimmunity such as allergy, rheumatoid arthritis, vitiligo, thyroid disease, lupus, and ulcerative colitis. There have been cases where this condition occurred among members of the same family, thus, implying the role of heredity and genes.
Treatment
There are several treatments for alopecia. The market is flooded with products for this hair loss condition. You can try creams, shampoos, steroid injections, and other such remedies. There are many medications, including topical gels, immunotherapy, and others.
It has been found that in about 50 percent alopecia patients, hair regrows in a year by itself. Moreover, if your hair takes longer time to thin out, there is lesser probability of it growing back.
There is no particular treatment for this condition. You can opt for a combination of remedies. A balanced diet and healthy lifestyle can also contribute towards correcting the receding hairline. And yes, check your emotional health too. A stressful life makes you more vulnerable to alopecia.
