Some authorities estimate that two out of a hundred suffer with alopecia hair loss in one of its forms. The hair loss can range from small bald patches on one end of the scale to hair loss on the scalp, or even total body hair loss on the other end of the scale.
The biggest questions people have about alopecia hair loss are answered below:
What’s a good definition of alopecia hair loss?
Alopecia is pronounced al-oh-PEE-shah with the emphasis on PEE, the third syllable. Alopecia specifically refers to “partial or complete hair loss.” Alopecia Areata is the full title and this is often followed by other words or phrases to indicate which part of the body is affected and to what extent.
Multilocularis: A number of bald spots on the head
Barbae: Bald areas affecting just the beard
Totalis: Hair loss on the whole head and scalp
Universalis: No body hair at all
How does an individual develop Alopecia hair loss?
This condition is not limited to a particular segment of the population. It can affect males and females of all ages and races. Heredity can play a role it appears, as 20% of individuals with the condition have family members who suffer with alopecia hair loss.
The records indicate however that the majority of children who suffer with alopecia did not have parents who had the condition and on the other side, most of the parents with alopecia did not have children who suffered with the condition.
Alopecia hair loss is not contagious. It is classified as an autoimmune diseases meaning the body’s natural defences can turn on itself. In this case, a virus or some other environmental factor, can trigger off the sequence of events which causes white blood cells to attack the cells in the hair follicle which cause hair to grow.
The big question - Will hair grow back?
This varies from person to person. Here is a sampling of how different individuals are affected:
Hair regrows but falls out again
There are only a small number of patches, and hair eventually regrows never to fall out again
Hair may fall out, regrow, fall out, regrow, and so on for many years
In the majority of cases, the hair that regrows is the same color as the hair that was lost
Occasionally, a person might find that the hair that regrows is whitish in color. Eventually however it returns to the color of the original hair
So what is the remedy for alopecia hair loss?
Scientists are still trying to find a better solution but for now there are some drugs on the market which can definitely help in promoting hair growth. Included in these are:
Rogaine, also called Minoxidil because of the main ingredient, is a drug designed to treat male and female pattern hair loss. It has been approved by the FDA.
Corticosteroids - these are strong drugs which are used to suppress the immune system
There are various ways of coping with the changes in appearance, depending of course on how severe alopecia hair loss is for an individual. These include using scarves, hats, jewelry, clothing, and cosmetics to camouflage the effects of alopecia hair loss. Additionally, the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (alopeciaareata.com) has a network and message board system putting sufferers in touch with each other where they can exchange ideas and suggestions.
For answers to frequently asked questions about Minoxidil-Rogaine, click here: Hair Loss Rogaine? Develop a strategy for dealing with premature hair loss. Click here: Hair Loss Problem