Alopecia

Alopecia- Information , Symptoms, Causes And Treatment of Alopecia

Alopecia Areata affects both men and women equally and is often experienced first in childhood. According to a survey taken in America one person in every hundred is likely to experience Alopecia Areata at sometime in their life. Many people affected with Alopecia Areata will only have one experience of hair loss with regrowth occurring afterwards.

In women the hair slowly becomes thin throughout the scalp and bald spots usually do not occur. Men first develop hair loss at the temples, followed by an enlarging bald spot on top of the head.

Symptoms of Alopecia

• primary symptom of alopecia areata is roundish patches of hair loss on the head, with smooth, hairless scalp in the affected areas. Alopecia total is involves the complete loss of all scalp hair, and alopecia universalism is characterized by the complete loss of all body hair.
• Hairs that look like exclamation points are sometime seen at the edges of a bald patch.

Causes of Alopecia

• Androgenic alopecia is thought to be due to the hair growing tissue's sensitivity to hormones; this sensitivity is due to genetic factors.
• Not contagious, not caused by foods, not the result of nervousness.
• Androgenic alopecia often runs in families.

Treatment of Alopecia

• Alopecia can be treated with drugs such as steriods creams, dithranol -ot minoxidil, which may trigger hair growth.
• Ultraviolet light therapy.
• Some people can benefit from scalp reduction. This is a surgical procedure in which the bald area is cut out.

Other Treatment of Alopecia

Retin A : Is normally used in the treatment of acne vulgaris, however has more recently been used in the treatment of both Alopecia Areata and Androgenetic Alopecia. Usually Retin-A in a gel form is rubbed on the area of hair loss. The gel works best when used in combination with topical Minoxidil. It is suggested that Minoxidil be applied in the morning and Retin-A in the evening due to the fact that Retin-A increase the skins sensitivity to sunlight.

Zinc : Oral zinc has been shown to be of occasional benefit in Alopecia Areata and appears to possess an immunomodulatory effect as well as an anti-androgenetic effect.

Topical Minoxidil : Is mainly used by individuals with Androgenetic Alopecia however it is also effective on patchy Alopecia Areata. Unfortunately topical Minoxidil is not normally effective in individuals with 100% scalp loss. Topical Minoxidil acts as a temporary measure in Alopecia Areata, bridging the gap until hair starts growing again on its own.