Alopecia Areata Information

According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, alopecia areata affects 1 percent of the U.S. population and is found most commonly in children. Alopecia areata has no cure, but there are treatment options available to slow hair loss and to restore hair growth in some sufferers. In order to get the best results from the treatments that are available, you have to know what type of alopecia areata you have.

What is Alopecia Areata?

• Alopecia areata is thought to be an autoimmune disease in which the white blood cells mistakenly attack the hair follicles. The reason this happens is because the immune system registers these follicles as foreign objects. This causes the hair to fall out of the follicle and stops the follicle from growing new hair. Alopecia can occur at any age.

Types of Alopecia Areata

• There are three types of alopecia areata: alopecia areata (AA), alopecia areata totalis and alopecia areata universalis. AA is the most common form of alopecia areata. It results in patchy hair loss and is more prevalent amongst children. People with AA have a better chance of hair regrowth than the other two forms of alopecia areata. Alopecia areata totalis causes total hair loss from the scalp. As of now, scientist aren't really sure what causes this form of alopecia. Alopecia areata universalis is a very rare form of alopecia areata and causes total hair loss over the entire body. There are no FDA-approved treatments for this form of alopecia areata, and its causes are still under investigation.

Symptoms

• Alopecia areata generally has no symptoms aside from the hair loss itself. Hair loss associated with alopecia areata is patchy and bare. Hair loss may start of as simple thinning and progress to complete balding of the area. Alopecia areata can also affect hair growth on other areas of the body. In some cases, hair loss can be total over the whole body, but this is just in severe cases.

Causes

• Causes of alopecia areata are not always easily detected. In some instances, the doctor has to take a biopsy of the affected area to render a diagnosis. There are some common causes of alopecia areata, including trichotillomania,
  tinea capitis, lupus and telogen effluvium.

  Trichotillomania is a condition caused by the person pulling their own hair out. Scientists aren't quite sure what causes this, but they are speculating that it may be linked to stress. As of now, it is classified as an impulse disorder and is only treatable through therapy.

  Tinea capitis is a fungal infection of the scalp. Fungal infections such as black-dot ringworm can cause alopecia areata. It is caused by the scaling left behind from the infection and results in the hair falling out in patches. This kind of hair loss is treatable.

  Some people with lupus develop a rash called discoid. Discoid causes damage to the hair follicle and scalp, resulting in scarring and hair loss. Hair loss as a result of discoid is usually permanent.

  Telogen effluvium (TE) is a condition that causes the hair to go into resting stage (telogen) prematurely. Our hair has a natural growth and shedding cycle; with telogen effluvium, that cycle is interrupted and causes more hair than normal to enter the shedding stage. The cause of TE is unknown but is thought to be linked to stress.

Treatments

• If the hair loss is just patchy, it is usually treated with Kenalog. Kenalog is a steroid administrated by injection intralesionally (into the lesion). The injection is given through a small needle into the alopecia patches every 4 to 6 weeks. For cases that are more moderate, topical minoxidil or prescribed steroid creams are a better choice.

  If the hair loss is wide spread, treatment consists of contact hypersensitization. This seems to be a more successful choice in treating widespread alopecia areata. In certain studies, it has been effective in 40 percent of patients. To achieve good results, treatment must be continued up to a year.