What is Alopecia?
Alopecia is an autoimmune condition that causes hair loss on the scalp or other areas of the body. There are 4 types of alopecia, and full hair loss on the scalp is what occurs when a person has alopecia areata totalis. With alopecia areata universalis the person loses all the hair on their scalp and body. Diffuse alopecia areata is different in that there is less hair loss and it involves areas of hair thinning rather than losing it in patches. With ophiasis alopecia areata the hair loss is in a band at the bottom of your scalp. Alopecia is not contagious.
What Causes Alopecia?
Alopecia can be hereditary and inherited from a parent or family predecessor, and it occurs more commonly in children. Other autoimmune disorders like diabetes, thyroid disease, or lupus can also cause alopecia.
Alopecia Symptoms
The most primary of alopecia symptoms is patchy hair loss that will occur on different areas of the body and to different extents based on the type of alopecia. Other possible symptoms are nail pitting, itching (pruritus), skin color changes, black dotting on affected skin areas, openings in hair follicles (follicular ostia), and growing shorter or whiter hairs on affected skin areas.
Alopecia Treatment
Alopecia is treatable and for some people it may be possible to reverse it. Standard approaches to alopecia treatment are to use corticosteroid medications or JAK-inhibitor medications like Olumiant. Clobex (Clobetasone) shampoo may also be helpful to limit the spread of alopecia. UVA / UVB phototherapy may also be used to treat alopecia, and the same goes for PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections
Topical immunotherapy where contact dermatitis is intentionally caused on the skin can also be helpful for reversing alopecia, and this is something a doctor may recommend too if they think it might be helpful for a patient.
