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What Is Alopecia Universalis?

Alopecia areata are a group of hair loss disorders. Alopecia Universalis is a rare condition that falls under the alopecia areata umbrella. Of the three types of alopecia areata this is the rarest form. Normally people who have alopecia universalis are healthy, slthough they are more susceptible than others to developing vitiligo and thyroid disorders.

  1. Causes

    • People with alopecia universalis are born with what is commonly referred to as the hairless gene. It is a mutated gene called HR. This same gene causes hairlessness in mice. The hairless gene is found only in people with alopecia universalis. Apart from this gene, any other causes are unknown because of a lack of testing.

    Signs

    • A classic sign of alopecia universalis is a complete lack of hair on the scalp, body, face, armpits and inside the nose. Another sign of alopecia universalis is nail distortions. The most noted are pinprick indentations of the nail.

    Diagnosis

    • Besides a physical observation of the affected areas, a biopsy may be needed in order to determine whether you have alopecia universalis. The biopsy will be taken from skin on the scalp. In addition to this, your physician may order a series of blood tests to determine if you have an autoimmune condition, which would make alopecia universalis more likely to occur.

    Treatments

    • The general treatment for alopecia universalis is the use of topical immunotherapy. This works by producing an allergic reaction in the scalp or skin. This is thought to stimulate the hair into growth by agitating the hair follicles. The most widely used medications for this are Diphencyprone (DPCP) and Squaric acid Dibutyl ester (SADBE). Unfortunately, these aren't available for prescription in the U.S., but can be can be found in Europe and Canada. Meanwhile, the use of wigs may provide some comfort. Several websites offer lace-front wigs that look completely natural and some even come with suction cups for lasting durability.

    Maintenance

    • Hairlosstalk.com advices that you thoroughly research the claims of any quick-growth products on the market, especially those that aren't FDA-approved. Many of these products are formulated for certain types of hair loss and may in fact not treat alopecia at all. Also, with alopecia universalis it is especially important to protect areas that aren't covered with hair, in order to prevent bacterial infections and sunburn.

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