According to some estimates, two persons out of every hundred suffer with some form of alopecia hair loss. The condition can range in gravity from small bald patches, to complete hair loss on the scalp to total loss of body hair altogether.
This simple fact sheet answers the main questions people have regarding alopecia hair loss:
How can alopecia hair loss be defined?
For a start, let’s make sure we can pronounce the word correctly. Al-oh-PEE-shah is how alopecia is pronounced, with the third syllable PEE getting most of the emphasis. Alopecia refers to “partial or complete hair loss.” Often you see it called by it’s proper title “Alopecia Areata” and additional words may be added to indicate the severity of the condition or the specific area that is affected.
Multilocularis: A number of bald spots on the head
Barbae: Bald patches only on the beard
Totalis: Hair loss on the whole head and scalp
Universalis: No body hair at all
How does an individual develop Alopecia hair loss?
This condition is not limited to a particular segment of the population. It can affect males and females of all ages and races. Heredity can play a role it appears, as 20% of individuals with the condition have family members who suffer with alopecia hair loss.
The records indicate however that the majority of children who suffer with alopecia did not have parents who had the condition and on the other side, most of the parents with alopecia did not have children who suffered with the condition.
Alopecia hair loss is an autoimmune disease which can be triggered by a virus or some other agent in the environment causing the body’s protective white blood cells to mistakenly attack the cells that grow in the hair follicle to make hair. The condition is not contagious!
The big question – Will hair grow back?
Everyone is different. There are various ways in which a person might be affected:
Even though their is regrowth, the hair may fall out later
There are only a small number of patches, and hair eventually regrows never to fall out again
Hair may fall out, regrow, fall out, regrow, and so on for many years
In the majority of cases, the hair that regrows is the same color as the hair that was lost
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 how can alopecia hair loss be remedied?
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:
Minoxidil, also known as Rogaine, is an FDA approved drug which helps combat pattern hair loss in men and women
Corticosteroids – these are strong drugs which are used to suppress the immune system
To cope with the change in appearance caused by alopecia hair loss, some sufferers use a variety of accessories including hats, scarves, clothing, cosmetics, or jewelry to skilfully camouflage the condition. Also, an organization worth noting is the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (alopeciaareata.com) which puts alopecia sufferers in touch with each other so they can exchange practical ideas, thoughts and suggestions by means of a message board system.
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