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Alopecia Universalis Treatment

While alopecia areata universalis will not make a patient feel sick, it can be emotionally traumatic. Most people do not like looking significantly "different" from other people. Physical appearance matters in society, and most sufferers of alopecia areata universalis will want to find a treatment that gives them the chance to regrow their hair.

  1. Alopecia Universalis Defined

    • Alopecia areata universalis is a disease in which all of the patient's body hair is lost. This form of alopecia areata (alopecia universalis, or AU) is the rarest form of the condition. The hair follicles are still alive, but the hair production has gone inactive because of the body's autoimmune response to the hair follicles.

    Cortisone Pills

    • One treatment for alopecia areata universalis is the oral prescription drug cortisone. Patients should ask their doctors about the potential for side effects from taking cortisone. Most healthy people do not experience many side effects; however, steroids should not be taken on a long-term basis because of the risks from prolonged usage. Hair that has grown in as a result of oral steroids might fall out once therapy is halted.

    Topical Immunotherapy

    • Another treatment for alopecia areata universalis is topical immunotherapy. With this treatment, one of several chemicals is applied to the scalp that will stimulate an allergic reaction. This reaction produces a rash that looks like poison ivy or poison oak; the allergic reaction then stimulates the regrowth of hair. Therapy is ongoing for approximately six months, when the hair begins to grow back in. In order to avoid losing the new hair growth, patients must continue this immunotherapy either until the weather grows hot (it is uncomfortable to have an itchy scalp during the summer) or until the alopecia universalis "turns itself off."

    Steroid Injection

    • Steroid injections can also stimulate hair growth. Patients receive the shots in the hairless areas of the scalp, beard and brow areas. After approximately one month, hair starts to regrow in the areas that were injected. Only a small amount of steroid is injected, so the side effects common to taking oral steroids effects can be avoided. Once new hair growth is visible, the injections are epeated on a monthly basis. One drawback of steroid injection is that large areas of the body cannot be treated because of the potential for pain from the injections and the risk of side effects from arger amounts of steroids.

    Ultra Violet Light Therapy

    • With ultra violet light therapy, patients undergo treatment with a Kromayer's ultra violet lamp. Treatment is administered once a week or every other week. Depending on the severity of the hair loss, patients may see nearly full regrowth during treatment. However, once treatment is stopped, patients may lose all the new hair they have grown. Ultra violet light therapy may stimulate biological reactions in the skin's cells to reduce the number of cells that grow too quickly.

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