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What Causes Patchy Baldness?

Patchy baldness is a rare and mysterious form of hair loss, though it is comparatively less serious than other related conditions. Read on to find out its potential causes and what you'll have to do to treat it.

  1. What Is Patchy Baldness?

    • Patchy baldness, also known as alopecia areata, is a condition characterized by bald spots developing on the scalp. It occurs in between 0.1 and 0.2 percent of humans, affecting men and women, though far more women.

    The Autoimmune Theory

    • It is unknown what causes patchy baldness, but one of the more popular theories is that it is the result of an autoimmune disease, also known as a self-allergy. It is theorized that the body's lymphocytes---white blood cells in the vertebrae immune system---attack hair follicles, causing hair to fall out.
      The autoimmune theory is supported by a few observations. First, scalp biopsy (microscopic examination of the affected skin) shows hair follicles on afflicted patients to be surrounded by large numbers of lymphocytes, which are normally involved in immune reactions and consequently are presumed to be doing so against the hair follicles. Secondly, patchy baldness is usually associated with other diseases suspected of having an autoimmune connection, such as vitiligo (milky white patches that denote the loss of pigmentation in the skin), thyroid disease, Addison's disease, pernicious anemia and diabetes. Finally, certain treatments for this condition that suppress the immune system appear to be effective against it.

    Emotional Stress

    • Another theory surmises that emotional stress causes this condition, and there seems to be some historical evidence to support it. Reportedly, Sir Thomas More (1478-1535) and Queen Marie Antoinette (1755-1793) both saw their hair turn white in a very short time just before their executions. This is believed to be a rare case of patchy baldness, in which pigmented hair falls out, thus leaving the white hair and causing the "turn-white-overnight" effect.

    Development into Other Forms of Baldness

    • Sometimes, particularly in its early stages, patchy baldness is referred to as spot baldness, and there is always the possibility it will develop into another kind of hair loss. The condition can spread to the entire scalp (alopecia totalis) or the entire epidermis, which is the outermost layer of the skin (alopecia universalis).

    Treatment

    • There are usually no symptoms for patchy baldness. However, it is usually a temporary condition. In most cases, bald spots regrow hair in six months to a year. In rare cases when hair loss continues, a patient may receive steroid injections or medications for male-pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia), such as minoxidil (Rogaine) or finasteride (Propecia).
      Also, patchy baldness is unpredictable, and it is not uncommon for it to recur after hair grows back. In some cases, it can last for many years with some regrowth in one area while patches develop in other areas of the scalp. When hair does start to regrow, it tends to be of a peach fuzz consistency before eventually regaining most or all of its normal color and texture.

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