Alopecia Areata – Is This Why You’re Losing Your Hair?

Everyone loses hair on a daily basis but it’s when you start noticing extra hair in your brush and on your pillow or thinning patches on your scalp that you may want to take a closer look.

Alopecia is an autoimmune disorder that can occur anywhere on your body, including your scalp. There are also various types of alopecia that cause you to lose hair differently. For some, hair will fall out and grow back again for good, while others will just keep losing their hair.

Alopecia – A Closer Look

Let’s start by saying that alopecia is not a contagious condition and it isn’t linked to nerves either. This condition is the result of the immune system attacking healthy hair follicles, which is what leads to hair loss.

People with alopecia tend to lose hair in clumps and will lose hair at different rates too. Alopecia is a condition that can show up suddenly in healthy people, so it helps to know what symptoms to look out for.

Alopecia – The Symptoms to Look Out For

According to top hair specialist, Dr Spano, alopecia tends to start out as small round patches of baldness on the scalp. These patches are smooth to the touch and look completely normal. Alopecia isn’t always accompanied by other symptoms but there may be some mild itching, tenderness or even a burning sensation across the affected area of the scalp.

People who develop alopecia have also reported abnormalities across the surface of their nails, including splits, dents or redness. In severe cases, the eyebrows, eyelashes, beard hair or pubic hair can also start falling out.

Alopecia – The Causes

Alopecia is an autoimmune reaction, but experts say that genetics can also play a role in the likelihood of developing this condition. Genetics is almost always the underlying cause when alopecia occurs before the age of 30. If you have a family member who has this condition, you may want to speak to a specialist as soon as you can if you start experiencing hair loss.

People who struggle with asthma, hay fever, anaemia or have thyroid disease or Down syndrome are also known to have a higher risk of developing alopecia.

Your doctor will be able to tell you whether you have alopecia by examining your scalp and going through the symptoms you’ve been experiencing. They may also pull on some of the hairs on your scalp to gauge how easily they come out. A skin biopsy can also be performed to confirm this condition.

Alopecia – The Treatment Options

The good news is that hair loss caused by alopecia can be treated. Today’s hair loss clinics offer customised solutions with proven results to both men and women who are struggling with conditions such as this, platelet rich plasma therapy being one of them.

PRP is a natural procedure that uses the growth factors found in blood to stimulate hair growth. While PRP can be used as a standalone procedure, it’s even more effective when combined with a hair transplant.

During a PRP procedure, a sample of blood is withdrawn and placed in a device that will separate the red blood cells from the plasma. The plasma is what contains the powerful growth factors and will be injected into your scalp.

Any hair follicles that are in the resting phase will be stimulated and forced to grow following your PRP session – multiple sessions will be required to achieve results though.

If you believe that you do have alopecia and would like to discuss your hair restoration options with a professional, schedule a consultation at a reputable hair loss clinic in your area.