|
Alopecia is a general term meaning
baldness and occurs in a number of different forms. We suggest
that you consult a certified trichologist or your family doctor
about any of these conditions that may worry you.
Alopecia areata is characterised
by well-defined bald patches which develop suddenly. These areas
are usually totally bald, with no broken off hairs. Alopecia is
believed to be an 'autoimmune condition, which means one's body
is 'doing it to itself'. In susceptible people, alopecia can be
triggered by stress, illness or physical injury. The hair usually
re-grows after a period and often clears without treatment, with
re-growth appearing after two or three months. If the hair loss
continues and no hair remains, the condition becomes known as
Alopecia Totalis. Hair transplant is an effective method for people
with small spots of permanent hair loss as it uses your own growing
hair to cover the bald patches. Single hair micrographs are the
latest form of transplantation.
Alopecia Universalis is a
rare and severe form of baldness that results in permanent or
temporary loss of all body hair, including eyebrows, eyelashes,
and hair in the pubic area and armpits. The cause is unknown.
Traction alopecia may be caused
by constantly drawing the hair back into a pony tail with too
much tension on the scalp which causes the front of the hairline
to recede. Traction alopecia is also caused by over-vigorous use
of nylon brushes, brush rollers and excessive combing during the
heated comb process of hair straightening. Mum's, beware of pulling
your daughters hair back too tight as she may end up with this
irreversible condition later in life.
Cicatrical (or "scarring") alopecia
is permanent hair loss caused by physical injury to the skin
(e.g motorcycle accident) or damage caused by burns or caustic
chemicals.
If you are concerned about alopecia
and things you can do about it, it is important you consult a
qualified medical doctor or a trichologist. These certified professionals
are specialists in hair and scalp problems. Please go to our
trichology
section for more information.
We have put together a series
of articles that will give you the full picture on this topic.
We would also like to welcome Dr Alan Baumann M.D
to our panel of experts. Alan is an expert on all matters to do
with hair loss in both women and men, and we look forward to featuring
his articles in various areas across VirtualHairCare.com:
Treatment
of Androgenic Alopecia
© VirtualHairCare
|