One of the more serious and seldom known causes of hair loss is Alopecia. Alopecia appears in a few different forms all resulting in symptoms that can be both embarrassing and detrimental to an individuals self-esteem. Here, we will discuss some of these:

Alopecia Areata  

Alopecia Areata (AA) can affect men, women, and children. It often appears as well-defined circular bald patches on the scalp. Many people will get just one or two patches, but for some, the hair loss can be extensive. Unfortunately, children who develop AA before puberty are most likely to develop more extensive and persistent hair loss. The current popular belief among researchers is that Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles. While most individuals will only experience hair loss in a few patches, the symptoms can turn into hair loss that affects the entire scalp which is called alopecia totalis. In very rare cases alopecia can also affect the entire body to include eyebrows, lashes, body hair, etc. this is called alopecia unversalis.  Another rare form of alopecia only affects the beard area in men, this is called alopecia barbae. Unfortunately, the symptoms of all forms of alopecia can be quite unpredictable, coming and going suddenly and in random patterns. Some individuals will only experience symptoms for a short time while others will face them indefinitely.

Scarring Alopecia  

Most forms of scarring alopecia first occur as small patches of hair loss that may expand with time. In some cases, the hair loss is gradual, without noticeable symptoms, and may go unnoticed for a long time. In other instances, the hair loss is associated with severe itching, burning, and pain, and is rapidly progressive. The scarring alopecia patches usually look a little different from alopecia areata in that the edges of the bald patches look more “ragged.” The destruction of the hair follicle occurs below the skin surface so there may not be much to actually see on the scalp skin surface other than patchy hair loss. Affected areas may be smooth and clean, or may have redness, scaling, increased or decreased pigmentation, or may have raised blisters with fluids or pus coming from the affected area. Scarring alopecia can slow or stop completely but unlike alopecia areata and it’s other forms, hair loss from scarring alopecia is often permanent as the affected hair follicles are often destroyed completely and replaced with scar tissue.

Telogen Effluvium

According to the American Hair Loss Association, telogen effluvium is probably the second most common form of hair loss dermatologists see. It is a poorly defined condition; very little research has been done to understand it. In essence, though, telogen effluvium happens when there is a change in the number of hair follicles growing hair. If the number of hair follicles producing hair drops significantly for any reason during the resting, or telogen phase, there will be a significant increase in dormant, telogen stage hair follicles. The result is shedding or hair loss. This particular form of hair loss is usually caused by outside or environmental factors. Stress is also highly correlated with this type of hair loss. Many women will experience telogen effluvium after childbirth in these cases it is commonly called postpartum alopecia. Telogen Effluvium can also be caused by medications, diet, exposure to toxins, etc. Essentially anything that causes any type of shock or trauma to an individual’s system can induce telogen effluvium. In most cases, once the root cause has been identified and remedied the hair loss will stop and begin to grow again.

The solutions and treatments for alopecia are extremely varied. They range from topical corticosteroid creams to oral medications, to hair pieces, and hair transplants. One of the most natural looking and effective treatments, however, is scalp micro pigmentation. Scalp micro pigmentation is the process of precisely implanting pigment directly into the dermal layer of the scalp that replicates hair follicles on a hyper-realistic level. Alpha Micropigmentation in Las Vegas is recognized for their success in treating clients with alopecia of many types. Contact them today to speak with one of their highly trained and qualified professionals to see how they can help you overcome alopecia.