What Are the Causes of Alopecia Treatment?

According to hairlosslearningcenter.org, hair loss (alopecia) affects about 35 million men and 21 million women in the U.S., with 40 percent of men having noticeable hair loss by the age of 35 and 65 percent by the age of 60. Many heath conditions, such as diabetes , polycystic ovarian syndrome, lupus and even childbirth, that can cause hair loss. For most forms of alopecia there are treatments, but in order to find the right one it is important to first find out which form of the condition you have and what caused it.

Patchy Hair Loss

• Patchy hair loss, known medically as alopecia areata (AA), is the most common form of hair loss among children. Although adults can develop AA, children are more likely to get it through fungal infections, such as tinea capitis (ringworm). Adults can develop alopecia areata for a host of reasons, but commonly it is a result of fungal scalp infections, autoimmune diseases, lupus and genetics. Tests to determine whether you have AA consist of blood tests, which are used to rule out autoimmune diseases, and occasionally a scalp biopsy may be required. Treatments include steroid injections, topical corticosteroids and UV light therapy.

Male Pattern Hair Loss

• Androgenic alopecia, or male-pattern baldness, affects the hairs on the scalp that rely on androgens (male hormones) for growth and maintenance. Androgenic alopecia's hallmark is hair that thins from the hairline and starts to recede back in an M shape. The final stage of androgenic alopecia is total baldness on the crown of the scalp in the shape of a horseshoe. Although this is an issue for most men, women can also suffer from androgenic alopecia---particularly women experiencing polycystic ovarian syndrome or menopause. Although some people with this form of hair loss lose all of their hair in the affected area, regrowth is possible, as the hair follicles are still living.

Unexplained Hair Loss (Telogen Effluvium)

• Researchers aren't entirely sure what causes telogen effluvium, but they speculate that it may be linked to traumatic events or stress. At any given time, 10 to 20 percent of our hair is in the telogen (resting) stage, while the remainder is in the active growing stage. When less than this amount is active or more than 20 percent is in the resting stage it may be a sign of telogen effluvium. Hair loss of this kind usually subsides as the stress goes away, but for some people, TE is a mystery disorder that causes hair loss for months or years without explanation.

Follicular Damage from Traction

• Traction alopecia is hair thinning caused by traction to the hair and follicles. Most of the time this is caused by extremely tight hairstyles, such as ponytails, cornrow braids and extension braids. Due to localized pulling of the hair, the follicles over time become damaged, causing slow hair regeneration. People with traction alopecia have thinning hair around the hairline, and in the late stage of the condition there will be visible balding there. Traction alopecia can only be treated successfully in early stages.

Scalp Damage

• Cicatricial alopecia is patchy hair loss associated with scarring of the scalp. This is usually caused by an injury to the head or medical conditions such as lupus, which can leave a rash that scars the scalp and hair follicles and replaces hair with scar tissue. Cicatricial alopecia itself cannot be treated due to the follicular damage, but the hair around the affected area can be treated to prevent further hair loss.