What Are the Different Types of Alopecia

When hair stop growing back people are going to see hair loss. Sometimes the follicle going dormant is only temporary, but in other instances it’s permanent. As is usually the case with androgenic alopecia, which is more commonly known as pattern baldness and affects men because of their DHT hormone. That’s just one kind of hair loss though, and so with this entry we’ll look at what are the different types of alopecia.  Hair loss on the scalp is going to be more common and pronounced for men, but women can experience alopecia too.  Alopecia is a term that can cover various types of hair thinning. Hormone level changes will usually be factoring in if the hair loss is permanent, although that can be slowed significantly if the person is using medications like Finasteride (Propecia) or an OTC like Minoxidil (Rogaine). So how many alopecia types are there? There are eight, and that means we can’t go over all of them in extensive detail here. But each type has unique causes and distinct symptoms. The ones we’ve talked about so far have been related to genetics, but there can even be psychological reasons why people lose hair.  Let’s get right to what are the different types of Alopecia and list them out one by one. It’s good to have an understanding of this if you’re starting to be concerned about hair loss and are hoping to start on hair loss prevention medications as soon as possible. It will always be best for you to get any prescription filled here at a Canadian pharmacy.   

Androgenic Alopecia 

Androgenic alopecia is the most common form of hair loss. People with it will have a gradual thinning of hair on the scalp and there are estimates that over 50 million men and 30 million women in the US are dealing with it at any time. Most men are able to come to terms with having baldness, but for women it can be much more upsetting and for obvious reasons. A medication like Propecia is going to work very well for anyone who is experiencing androgenic alopecia and worried that before long they’re going to look like Moby.  Androgenic alopecia is going to be caused by genetics and having a family history of baldness, androgen hormone imbalances, age, and lifestyle factors like stress, medication use, and diet choices.  

Alopecia Areata 

Next is alopecia areata, and it is an autoimmune condition resulting hair loss and baldness that occurs in patches. It is also not exclusive to the scalp, and can happen on different areas of the body. One variant of it is alopecia totalis, and with this condition there is complete hair loss on the scalp and face. Alopecia universalis is the entire loss of hair loss  on your body. Those who live with alopecia areata might experience sudden hair loss in oval patches on the scalp or notice hair falling from eyebrows, eyelashes, or bearded areas. Genetics and environmental conditions will be the causes for alopecia areata and sometimes other autoimmune disorders like psoriasis, vitiligo, thyroid disease, and lupus  can worsen the hair loss.  

Telogen Effluvium 

Continuing with what are the different types of alopecia we have telogen effluvium. With this type what the sufferer will be experiencing is rapid hair loss on the scalp, and in most instances, stress is going to be what’s causing it. What happens here is the hair follicles prematurely entering the shedding (telogen) phase. But the good news is that this type of hair loss is usually only going to be temporary.  

Traction Alopecia 

Traction alopecia is when hair loss occurs because the follicles are mechanically stressed. People who repeatedly pull on their hair or women who regularly have their hair pulled violently while fighting other women may experience this type of alopecia. But even having hair in tight buns or ponytails can promote traction alopecia hair loss.  

Scarring Alopecia 

Scarring alopecia is when hair follicles become non-functional because of the scarring that’s occurred after a deep flesh wound has healed. There are two variants of this one – primary scarring alopecia and secondary scarring alopecia. Primary types of scarring hair loss typically occur from inflammatory or autoimmune disorders that damage the follicles. Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) is a common type of scarring alopecia that affects women of African descent most often. CCCA typically starts at the crown of the head and spreads outward.  

The most common type of primary scarring alopecia is lichen planopilaris (LPP), and it is an inflammatory condition and is more prevalent in women over 50. You can have a genetic predisposition for it. Secondary forms are different from the primary types of scarring alopecia. This type is typically the result of hair follicle destruction by an external force or an underlying medical condition. That covers everything for what are the different types of Alopecia.