Some authorities estimate that two out of a hundred suffer with alopecia hair loss in one of its forms. The hair loss can range from small bald patches on one end of the scale to hair loss on the scalp, or even total body hair loss on the other end of the scale.
The biggest questions people have about alopecia hair loss are answered below:
How can alopecia hair loss be defined?
First let's get the pronunciation right. The four syllables are pronounced al-oh-PEE-shah with emphasis on the third syllable PEE. A simple definition of alopecia is: "partial or complete hair loss." The condition is commonly referred to by it's full title: alopecia areata with additional words describing the severity or area affected:
Multilocularis: Bald spots on various parts of the head
Barbae: Bald areas affecting just the beard
Totalis: No hair at all on the head and scalp
Universalis: A total absence of body hair
How does an individual develop Alopecia hair loss?
Alopecia hair loss affects men, women, old and young, from all races and cultures. Heredity can be a factor. Records show about 20% of sufferers have relatives who also have the same condition.
However, statistics show that the majority of children with alopecia hair loss did not have parents who suffered with it. Conversely, the majority of parents with the condition did not have children who suffered with it.
Alopecia hair loss is not contagious. It is classified as an autoimmune diseases meaning the body's natural defences can turn on itself. In this case, a virus or some other environmental factor, can trigger off the sequence of events which causes white blood cells to attack the cells in the hair follicle which cause hair to grow.
The big question - Will hair grow back?
Everyone is different. There are various ways in which a person might be affected:
Hair regrows but falls out again
Hair loss is limited to a few patches, it regrows and never falls out again
The hair may regrow but then fall out again repeating this cycle over a period of years
In most cases, the regrowth is the same color as the hair before
Occasionally, a person might find that the hair that regrows is whitish in color. Eventually however it returns to the color of the original hair
So what is the remedy for alopecia hair loss?
While there is no perfect solution right now, there are various drugs available on the market which can boost hair growth. Among these there are:
Rogaine, also called Minoxidil because of the main ingredient, is a drug designed to treat male and female pattern hair loss. It has been approved by the FDA.
Corticosteroids - strong drugs used to suppress the immune system
Depending on the extent of the alopecia hair loss, there are different avenues open to cope with the change in a person's appearance. Some use scarves, hats, clothing, cosmetics, jewelry, and other accessories to hide or divert attention from the hair loss. A very useful resource is the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (alopeciaareata.com) which puts alopecia sufferers in touch with each other through a network and message board arrangement so ideas and thoughts can be shared.
The biggest questions people have about alopecia hair loss are answered below:
How can alopecia hair loss be defined?
First let's get the pronunciation right. The four syllables are pronounced al-oh-PEE-shah with emphasis on the third syllable PEE. A simple definition of alopecia is: "partial or complete hair loss." The condition is commonly referred to by it's full title: alopecia areata with additional words describing the severity or area affected:
Multilocularis: Bald spots on various parts of the head
Barbae: Bald areas affecting just the beard
Totalis: No hair at all on the head and scalp
Universalis: A total absence of body hair
How does an individual develop Alopecia hair loss?
Alopecia hair loss affects men, women, old and young, from all races and cultures. Heredity can be a factor. Records show about 20% of sufferers have relatives who also have the same condition.
However, statistics show that the majority of children with alopecia hair loss did not have parents who suffered with it. Conversely, the majority of parents with the condition did not have children who suffered with it.
Alopecia hair loss is not contagious. It is classified as an autoimmune diseases meaning the body's natural defences can turn on itself. In this case, a virus or some other environmental factor, can trigger off the sequence of events which causes white blood cells to attack the cells in the hair follicle which cause hair to grow.
The big question - Will hair grow back?
Everyone is different. There are various ways in which a person might be affected:
Hair regrows but falls out again
Hair loss is limited to a few patches, it regrows and never falls out again
The hair may regrow but then fall out again repeating this cycle over a period of years
In most cases, the regrowth is the same color as the hair before
Occasionally, a person might find that the hair that regrows is whitish in color. Eventually however it returns to the color of the original hair
So what is the remedy for alopecia hair loss?
While there is no perfect solution right now, there are various drugs available on the market which can boost hair growth. Among these there are:
Rogaine, also called Minoxidil because of the main ingredient, is a drug designed to treat male and female pattern hair loss. It has been approved by the FDA.
Corticosteroids - strong drugs used to suppress the immune system
Depending on the extent of the alopecia hair loss, there are different avenues open to cope with the change in a person's appearance. Some use scarves, hats, clothing, cosmetics, jewelry, and other accessories to hide or divert attention from the hair loss. A very useful resource is the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (alopeciaareata.com) which puts alopecia sufferers in touch with each other through a network and message board arrangement so ideas and thoughts can be shared.
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For answers to frequently asked questions about Minoxidil-Rogaine, click here: Rogaine Review? Develop a strategy for dealing with premature hair loss. Click here: Hair Loss Problem
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