Alopecia refers to the meaning of ‘hair loss’. It is a medical condition when hair falls out in round patches. There is no one way for hair loss caused by Alopecia Areata.
The hair loss types can be listed as Alopecia areata that is hair loss in patches, Alopecia totals meaning to lose all hair on the scalp, and lastly, Alopecia Universalis referring to lose all hair on the body.
All the things you wonder about this hair loss type including the causes, symptoms, medical and natural remedies, and treatments ways are here!
What is Alopecia Areata?
Regardless of age and gender, everyone can experience Alopecia Areata. For the United States, it is around 6.8 million people. That is why it is known as unpredictable hair loss.
This happens generally suddenly within a couple of days. The best thing you can do is to take some precautions.
The reasons might be related to family genetics or some personal conditions such as stress. You will read the details below together with the treatment methods.
Causes of Alopecia Areata
There are many causes of Alopecia Areata. First of all, when white blood cells attack the cells in hair follicles, it might cause to shrink and then significantly slow down hair growth.
In other words, the function of the body’s immune system might change hair follicles to stop or grow.
Secondly, although it is not certain and evidenced scientifically for sure, this hair loss condition might be associated with genetic factors. For example, if you have someone in your family with the disease, you might also face the same situation.
On the other hand, your family history of autoimmune disorders such as atopy may affect your health history, too. For those who have some disorder characterized to be hyperallergic, thyroiditis, and vitiligo tend more to have Alopecia.
Your family history might affect you in other ways, too. If you have a genetic tendency to other autoimmune conditions, such as type 1 diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis, you should take precautions just in case.
Just like other diseases, stress has also a strong role when it comes to hair loss. People who have extreme stress could potentially have a high risk of hair falling problem.
Finally, there are some other causes that can not be predictable but have a strong connection with hair loss Alopecia Areata. As an example, smoking and excessive hair styling and coloring are one of them. That might be your daily life habit, but you should be very careful about the side effects.
Similarly, for women, the usage of birth control pills, and the hormonal change during the pregnancy period can result in the cause of hair loss. As long as you follow your hormonal balance with a doctor, the result and negative effect on the hair loss can be diminished in time.
Symptoms of Alopecia Areata
First of all, it is a serious warning when you experience excessive hair loss which is more than 150 hairs in a day from your hair scalp. You should take it seriously and have a checkup in a hospital. It is also a critic to see a complete loss of all hair from the head.
When you realize some hair falls out in small patches on your scalp, it might be a symptom of alopecia areata. This falling might be centimeters or less.
You should know that it is not only about hair scalp area. You might experience your hair loss on other parts of the face such as the eyebrows, eyelashes, and beard.
To illustrate, realizing some hair on your pillow might be your first time to notice this problem. Or alternatively, some people realize if after taking a bath.
It is also possible to see some spots are on the back of your head. When your hairs get narrower at the bottom like an exclamation mark, you should go to a doctor or hair clinic for a checkup.
When nails have dents, white spots, and roughness, it is again time to get the sign of Alopecia. Since Alopecia areata also can affect your fingernails and toenails, it is quite possible to realize those kinds of changes in your nail. Even the shape of your nail can be changed and they might fall off in time.
Alopecia refers to the meaning of ‘hair loss’. It is a medical condition when hair falls out in round patches. There is no one way for hair loss caused by Alopecia Areata.
The hair loss types can be listed as Alopecia areata that is hair loss in patches, Alopecia totals meaning to lose all hair on the scalp, and lastly, Alopecia Universalis referring to lose all hair on the body.
How to Treat Alopecia Areata Hair Loss?
Because of the fact that there is no cure for alopecia areata, people are generally looking for other treatment ways to prove hair growth again and support. Hair often the hair re-grow more quickly.
Medical Treatment
- There is a medicine known as corticosteroids supporting the immune system by injecting the medicine into the places with hair loss. You can find this medicine in three forms: a cream, lotion, or ointment.
You can apply this medicine to the bare spots as a treatment solution for hair loss. You can receive shots between 3 and 6 weeks for the best result. However, you should be patient since for the first month you might not realize any hair growth. It is because hair growth generally begins after a month.
However, you should be careful about some serious side effects. It is better to take some advice from your doctor before using it.
- Anthralin is used to modify the skin’s immune function. You need to apply a tar-like substance to your skin.
After that, you need to leave it on around 20-60 minutes. It is called by some as short-contact therapy. During that time period, you should wash it in order to avoid skin irritation.
- Diphencyprone (DPCP) is a medicine that is applied to the bald skin. If you have this kind of problem, you can think of trying this way against Alopecia Areata.
However, it may cause some small allergic reaction as a side effect. There is no need to get worried when you have itching, redness, and swelling. It might cause to send white blood cells to the surface of the scalp, which fights the inflammation.
The good thing is that Diphencyprone is powerful to prevent your hair follicles from going to sleep. This point is important because of causing hair loss. When you stop the reasons for hair loss, the problem will be solved in time. This may take 3 months for the hair totally start the re-growing period.
- Minoxidil is the next medicine against hair loss related to Alopecia Areata. This medicine might help you regrow your hair. It is not certain to provide this since the individual condition determines the result. Yet, it is still worth to try this solution.
Both for children and adults, this medicine is okay to use. You can apply it twice a day to your scalp, or alternatively your brows, and beard if it is needed.
You should know that not quickly your hair growth will start again. you should use it around 3 months to see the result. After taking some advice from your doctor, you might need any other treatment to apply together with.
- Alopecia Hair Loss Treatment is a product that you can find on the Amazon website is for renewal hair and hair scalp therapy.
For Alopecia, an autoimmune disorder in which the body attacks its own hair follicles leads to stop hair growth and hair falling at the end. This product helps hair by giving aromatherapy with some essential oils such as cedarwood, lavender, thyme, and rosemary oils.
You should try this product regularly for the best result to stop your hair loss related to alopecia problem.
For more detailed information and buy the product online, you can visit the website: https://www.amazon.com/Alopecia-Treatment-Nutritive-ingredients-penetrate/dp/B001A6NTEW
- Alopecia Amazing Hair Growth: This is another hair loss product related to Alopecia Areata.
By preventing hair from falling out, it helps to strengthen and make hair thicker. The ingredients can be listed as a synergistic blend of essential oils and other natural ingredients.
The important ingredients stimulating the hair follicle and increasing circulation and oxidation sufficiently results in healthy regrowing hair. You can use it for all hair types.
For more detailed information and buy the product online, you can visit the website: https://www.amazon.com/Alopecia-SG_B007CLP7MQ_US-Amazing-Hair-Growth/dp/B007CLP7MQ/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=hair+loss+Alopecia+Areata&qid=1567252265&s=gateway&sr=8-3
Natural Treatments
- Aromatherapy: This part of the treatment is connected to some essential oil. This hair loss essential oils can be listed as thyme, rosemary, lavender, and cedarwood.
If one of the essential oils does not work alone, you can mix some of the essential oil products from time to time. There is much different hair mask prepared by these essential oils.
Here is one of product you can find on Amazon website and a hair mask example to apply your hair regularly to take the best result in the shortest time period.
Rosemary & Amla Hair Essential Oil
This product is a perfect remedy for hair loss especially when it combines with Amla hair oil in order to stimulate hair growth and stop hair loss.
This mixture is recommended a lot as a solution to hair loss related to Alopecia Areata.
Rosemary & Amla Hair Essential Oil product includes some natural ingredients such as ancient herbal oils like Brahmi, and amla, which promotes healthy, and shiny hair without any feeling of dryness or frizz. You will not feel regrets after trying it.
All-natural and free of harsh chemicals like parabens, sulfates, phthalates can make you feel more safe about the product. In addition to the ingredients listed above, it includes some other like sweet almond, rosemary, turmeric, and neem.
You need to use it 1-2 times a week regularly. After applying this hair oil in your hair and hair scalp gently you can leave it for a few hours.
Yet, if you do not have enough time to wait that long during the day, you can also apply and leave it overnight. After the waiting period, then you should wash your hair as usual. Besides the hair growth effect, you will feel more relaxed and peaceful. Do not waste your time to try it!
For more detailed information and buy the product online, you can visit the website: https://www.amazon.com/Rosemary-Promotes-Ayurvedic-Essential-Ingredients/dp/B00PXCOCVI/ref=sr_1_158?crid=YOFRTTES1N3Z&keywords=hair+essential+oil&qid=1567016515&s=gateway&sprefix=hair+essential+%2Caps%2C555&sr=8-158
An alternative hair loss mask for you:
You can prepare many hair loss masks with rosemary oil yourself. I will suggest my favorite one. This hair loss mask is not known by many but I ensure it will work for your hair. As you know very well, each hair type needs different care according to its structure. Maybe your hair loss remedy is here waiting for you?
You need only two things: 3/4 cup fresh rosemary and 1 nettle tea bag. You should create a spritz with 3/4 cup fresh rosemary and 1 nettle tea bag to 1 cup boiling water. After the water is already boiled, you can remove it from heat and steep for one hour.
After waiting for one hour to steep, now you can strain easily in order to allow it to cool not to give your hands and hair any damage. There are two options for you here; you can apply whichever you want.
The first one is that you can pour over hair. After that, you should combine through to saturate strands for 10-15 minutes to mix all very well. After the waiting time period, you should wash gently and rinse it with shampoo.
The second method is a bit different than the former one. You need to pour into a spray bottle you had before. After that, now you need to spritz on wet hair and leave on overnight. You should wrap your hair carefully so that it will not mess ad color your pillow textile.
In the morning, when you wake up, you can wash it with your shampoo without waiting not too much anymore since it might hurt your hair this time. Whichever the techniques you choose to apply, you will see how these methods will help thicken your hair and encourage new hair growth in a short time.
Of course, you should apply it regularly to take the result desired. For more hair mask options, you should read my other article related to hair loss mask!
- Acupuncture: If the alopecia hair loss problem affects skin cells, acupuncture is a good way as a natural treatment.
Electroacupuncture is also okay if you have an opportunity to have it. You should try with an expert.
- Herbal supplements: There are some herbal supplements which will help you to stop hair loss They are natural supplements like such as green tea, ginseng, Chinese hibiscus, and saw palmetto. You can consume one of them regularly.
For instance, Korean red ginseng is a good alternative to help promote your hair growth related to Alopecia Areata
- Onion Juice: This idea might seem weird to you at first sight but it works well for hair loss. When you apply onion juice to the are you suffer from hair loss problem, it works as a substance to improve hair growth if you keep doing this way twice daily for two months.
- Coconut Oil: Alternatively you can use coconut oil for hair growth, which is needed to make hair longer, thicker, and faster in time.
Coconut oil is used for daily treatment or it is okay to use coconut oil on your hair before taking a dip in the pool. It provides a great opportunity for you to protect your hair from chlorine and saltwater.
- The other natural treatment methods can be listed as stress management, micro-needling, probiotics to make your immune system stronger, vitamin supplements such as zinc and biotin, and hair scalp massage.
Some Tips to Avoid the Risk of Alopecia Areata
- You can use wraparound glasses in the summer season so that you can protect your eyes from the sun. Hence, your eyebrow and eyelash can defend any risk coming from the sun.
- You should wear sunscreen to prevent the exposition of the sun.
- Together with suncream, it is better to use headwear such as hats, wigs, and scarves. By doing so, you can protect your head from the sun.
- It is better to have a healthy diet. You can support your diet with Vitamin A since it is composed in part of retinoids. As a result of this, the rate of hair growth will increase.
You can take Vitamin A from the foods rich in vitamin A such as sweet potatoes, sweet peppers, and spinach.
- Lastly, you can use ointment inside your nose. It will provide a moist atmosphere in order to protect against organisms.
Alopecia Areata for Children
As it is mentioned above, it is possible to see Alopecia Areata in children. This condition might be because of some family heredity historic related to family genetics.
When you realize an extreme level of hair loss on your kid’s hair, or nail defects such as pitting and lesions, you should take this condition as the signal to act.
For some research, it says if children are younger than age five, it is less possibility to observe much emotional impact connected to the alopecia areata hair loss problem.
When it is for those who are after age 5, this condition might change. This time, some traumatic scenarios are possible but it is different for each child.
To handle this traumatic period and depressing times for your child, you should ask a recommendation to your doctor.
Types of Alopecia Areata
There is not only one type but several types of alopecia areata to analyze. Each of them has their own unique symptoms and treatment ways.
- Ophiasis Alopecia
When the hair loss is related to a band along the sides and lower back of the hair scalp, it is named as Ophiasis alopecia.
- Alopecia Areata (Patchy)
It is coin-sized patches of hair loss on the skin or your body. When the condition expands, it means you should take the condition more seriously. Yet, you should take advice from your doctor since it may be also related to the other type which is alopecia Universalis.
Unfortunately, it is also known as spot baldness since it may result in losing all the hair, which can be a temporary condition. There is a possibility for the hair to grow back within a few years but there is no guarantee or any other certain condition for it.
- Alopecia Universalis
The third type is Alopecia Universalis, that is the most severe form among all. Not only the hair scalp but also all hair on your face are under the risk for this type. It includes eyebrows and eyelashes from time to time. You can even lose other body hair such as your chest, back, and pubic hair.
- Alopecia Totalis
This type is related to hair loss across the entire scalp.
- Diffuse Alopecia Areata
This type is mostly related to female hair loss. It happens all of a sudden n an unexpected times when you realize thinning of hair all over your scalp. In other words, it not in just one area or patch but the whole part of your hair scalp.
- Involutional Alopecia
When hair thinning occurs because of the aging problem, it is called Involutional Alopecia type that results in the length of the rest of the hairs become shorter in time. It is inevitable to see hair becomes thinner as a result of this.
- Androgenic Alopecia
When Alopecia Areata is caused because of a genetic condition, the type of it is here. It is mostly related to men, which is commonly known as male pattern balding.
During late teens or their early 20s, it can start to be observed for men while it is around 40 years of age for women, which is rare compared to men’s experience.
- Scarring Alopecia
For those who have some certain disorders are under the risk of Scarring Alopecia. Frontal fibrosing alopecia that happens in women during menopause is one of them.
It is also possible to experience this because of scleroderma, that is an autoimmune rheumatic disease, and folliculitis decalvans which occurs in men causing patchy baldness and scarring.
It is almost impossible for the hair to return back since the hair follicles get destroyed in a non-returnable way.
