Treat Alopecia Areata and Say Goodbye to Hair Loss

May 27th, 2008   Filed Under General  

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Have you noticed some round patches of hair loss in your body? Usually in the scalp, this patchy loss of hair can take form in any shape but they are usually spots or round formations. This condition is called Alopecia Areata. Occurring to about 2 percent of the world population, Alopecia Areata can happen to both sexes, male and female.

Usually, Alopecia Areata happens only in a small area in any hair growing part of the skin, sometimes though multiple spots can occur and in rare cases, Alopecia Areata Totalis, loss of all scalp hair can happen. Even rarer is Alopecia Universalis, or total body hair loss may also happen stemming from Alopecia Areata.

For a lot of people, treating Alopecia Areata is very important, especially for cosmetic reasons. Hair loss can be a great source for embarrassment and loss of self esteem. Generally, to treat Alopecia Areata, one can make use of topical medications or steroidal injections.

Getting treatment for Alopecia Areata should first be preceded by the proper diagnosis from a qualified physician. Knowing what type of alopecia you have is detrimental so that the proper treatment will be administered.

There are numerous types of topical medication that can be used. Choosing the right one will be done by the physician after a diagnosis. This way, you will be able to fix the problem at a faster rate. Also, sometimes, steroid injections are not applicable for everyone. So be sure to get in touch with your doctor first before doing any treatment for Alopecia Areata.  

Stress and Alopecia: Are They Related?

May 22nd, 2008   Filed Under General  

Does stress cause alopecia, or does alopecia cause stress? Hair loss can be very disturbing; it has numerous psychological effects to a person and can be seen as a huge source of embarrassment and loss of self esteem. While stress has been related to many illnesses, researchers have not fully grasped the concept that stress can cause Alopecia; there is just not enough evidence to support this theory.

Many foundations have spent at least a couple of thousand of hours to prove or disprove this theory but no discovery has been solid enough to do so. If in the future stress is found to be a cause, then this would be a breakthrough as lowering stress that people can help a lot in preventing hair loss.

The type of stress that can cause hair loss is the stress on the hair follicles that happens when hair is tightly pulled. When there is extreme tension in the hair and the scalp, there is a huge contributing factor to hair loss, and sometimes this loss can be permanent. Having dreadlocks or tightly pulled pony tails are some of the examples of prolonged tension, pressure, and stress to the scalp and hair.

But if it is psychological and emotional stress, there is still no concrete evidence to show their involvement. But you don’t have to be stressed out about this, it would be better if stress is not involved as losing hair is already distressing enough. So don’t lose hair about it.

Patch Alopecia, Hair Loss in Patches

May 16th, 2008   Filed Under General  

Losing one’s hair can be devastating. Usually, people would be ashamed of their hair loss and would find ways to retrieve their lost hair or at the least cover up the balding area. Loss of hair is not instantaneous. They often start in patches or spots, commonly called bald spots. In the medical world this is called Alopecia.

According to medical research and study, the cause of Patch Alopecia cannot be fully determined yet. But it is thought that this happens due to a trigger that pushes the body’s immune system to attack our hair follicles.

Patch of baldness or Alopecia can become severe in the long run. Not all people though experience this and total alopecia is somewhat rare. Curing Patch Alopecia is impossibility as of now, but there are treatments available which can reinvigorate hair growth and counter the effects of this hair condition. The good news is, Patch Alopecia cures itself, although this varies from every person, so continuous treatment is advised so that hair re-growth is not hampered.

Treatment will vary depending on the extent of the damage and the age of the person. It is highly advisable that only a certified expert on the matter will be trusted with the diagnosis and the treatment of the condition.

We also have to understand that patch alopecia doesn’t only happen in our scalp, although it is usually found there. It can also go down to our eye brows, lips, and other parts of the body where hair grows.

The Definition of Alopecia

May 10th, 2008   Filed Under General  

Alopecia can simply be defined in two words, Hair Loss. Alopecia is the description the medical field provides for the loss of hair from any part of the body, usually though this occurs in the scalp or the head. Most of the time, alopecia is an unwanted condition unlike those that get rid of hair from their body through cosmetic procedures for their vanity. The term Alopecia is a general use term.

Alopecia is subdivided into different types. Most common is the Alopecia Androgenica, from the male hormone androgen. This refers to the more commonly known male pattern baldness. Although it is generally believed in the medical community that DHT or Dihydro-testosterone and its rise in count is the cause for male pattern baldness, the availability of a cure or treatment to counter its rise in numbers is still far away. Female pattern baldness is also a rising problem with women and aging is considered to be one of its causes, other causes include ailments and diseases.

Other sub types of Alopecia include; Alopecia Areata, Androgenetic Alopecia, Alopecia Universalis, Traction Alopecia and a host of others. It is imperative that when trying to treat alopecia, the type of alopecia experienced is to be determined to formulate the proper procedure for its treatment.

Being inflicted with hair loss or alopecia can be very devastating to a person. Some lose self esteem and confidence and may suffer from slight depression. This can be a hinder to a person’s productivity. That is why it is imperative to find the proper cure to prevent the spread of Alopecia.  

Discovering the Causes of Alopecia

May 3rd, 2008   Filed Under General  

Even though Alopecia afflicts millions of people around the world, researches and studies have not been fully matured to discover what actually causes alopecia to happen, and to develop a permanent cure to get rid of it. Many scientists and doctors have developed their own theories and many of them agree on one thing, although it is not yet decided as a fact.

Alopecia is generally believed to be caused by our own body’s autoimmune response. This means that our immune system, for some unknown reason is attacking the hair follicles causing them to stop producing hair. Although not all hair follicles are usually affected, there are some rare cases where all the scalp area or even all the epidermis is afflicted.

What actually triggers the immune system to go in hyper drive and attack the hair follicles is still a mystery. No one knows what this tyrigger is and if this trigger is started by an aoutside influence or is found inside the body.

Also, it has been noted that in about one in every five cases of Alopecia, the condition is hereditary. This means that Alopecia can be handed down and future family members, whether male or female can be affected.

Although there is no cure yet for this potentially embarrassing and self esteem destroying condition, there are some treatments that are available to at least regenerate hair growth.  Consulting a doctor or a dermatologist is Imperative to find the treatment that will properly suit a certain condition of Alopecia.