Hair Loss Due to Alopecia Areata! What is Alopecia Areata, Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment?

Hair loss is one of the major problems people are facing these days. It can be due to unhealthy lifestyles, pollution, excessive use of chemical-based hair treatment solutions, hair color, exposure to sun and other atmospheric elements, and even heredity. 

However, apart from these causes, some diseases can also cause hair problems, such as Alopecia Areata. 

It is one of the hair loss problems which usually begins in children and adults. But, it can start at any age, and people of all genders and skin tones can get Alopecia Areata.

The word "Alopecia" means hair loss, while "Areata" means patchy, hence the disease name "Alopecia Areata." In this disease, hair loss is often in patches. 

Alopecia Areata is also known by different medical names (based on the conditions), such as Alopecia Barbae, where a person has patchy hair on their head. `

Alopecia ophiasis is where a person shows a band or strip of hair loss on the scalp. Alopecia totalis is when a person loses all of the hair on the scalp. 

One more condition of Alopecia Areata is Alopecia Universalis, which shows hair loss on the scalp and everywhere else on the body. However, this condition is rare and usually not seen.

So, What is Alopecia Areata?

It is an autoimmune disease. It causes hair problems such as hair loss in anyone of any age. 

A person affected with the disease may show hair loss on their scalp, beard, or anywhere on the body. A certified Dermatologist can better identify this problem and may guide you to the right solution to (help you) regrow your hair.

A critical thing to know about this disease is that- It Is Not Contagious! 

Yes, you read it correctly. This condition does not spread from one person to another.

What are some symptoms and signs of Alopecia Areata?

Certain signs associated with Alopecia Areata are noticeable, such as round or oval patchy hair loss on the scalp, hair loss in spots, and smooth balding patches on the beard or scalp.

In this disease, people lose their hair suddenly, and some may also notice hair loss in eyebrows, lashes, nostrils, legs, and other body parts.

Aside from hair loss, affected people may also notice signs, such as;

1) Change in their nails' shape, strength, and structure, such as brittle and crumbling nails

2) Itching, Burning, or Tingling Sensation where hair loss is about to begin or has already started

3) Irritation in eyes with lashes or eyebrows falling 

4) Hair restarts to grow where it fell out

5) Excessive hair loss during colder months of the year

However, before you decide or diagnose yourself with Alopecia Areata, it is always recommended to consult with your physician or dermatologist for scientific diagnosis, lab tests, and correct solutions. Do not start any home remedies until you are sure of this disease.

Now, let's talk about what causes Alopecia Areata.

Science says that this is an autoimmune disease. It means that, under this condition, your immune system mistakes a part of your body as a foreign element and starts to attack. 

In this disease, a person's immune system (starts to) attack their hair follicles and sometimes nails. Hair follicles are those areas where hair grows.

Therefore, when you notice hair loss on the scalp, beard, or other part of your body, it means your immune system is attacking your hair follicles. 

Since it attacks hair follicles, people also notice hair loss on the eyebrows, eyelashes, arms, legs, and hands.

However, this attack on hair follicles rarely destroys them (hair follicles). For the same reason, it is always possible to regrow hair.

Affected people may also notice tiny dents, thinning, white spots, or splitting in their nails. 

In some cases, a sandpaper-like texture is observed.

You should also know that some people remember or experience a crisis or intense stress before seeing such (patchy) hair loss. However, these aren't the causes. 

Intense stress and severe mental or physical crises may increase the risk of hair fall because persistent stress has an adverse effect on the body.

 

Does Hair Regrow after Alopecia Areata?

Yes! Your hair can regrow because Alopecia Areata rarely destroys hair follicles. Hence, people with this disease have also noticed hair regrowth and have never had another episode of hair fall. This trend is more common when people have a few patches of hair loss.

However, in some cases, relapse has been observed where hair loss happens again post-regrowth (of hair). 

Many people with a relapse situation of hair loss noticed it within a year. However, in most of such cases, relapse occurred within 4-5 years.

Such relapse episodes (hair loss, regrowth, and hair loss again) may occur throughout a person's life.

Here is something important to note: This hair regrowth may vary from person to person. Some people may notice complete regrowth of hair, while others do not. 

Again, this hair comeback may differ in thickness, texture, size, and strength. 

However, with proper diagnosis, expert treatment, and guidance from a dermatologist, your natural hair texture, color, and size often returns.

Is There a Treatment for Alopecia Areata?

Before we talk about treatment for Alopecia Areata, the correct diagnosis for this disease is essential for an effective solution because hair loss may be due to any other reason, but not this disease.

So, how do experts, such as dermatologists, diagnose this disease?

A certified dermatologist often diagnoses this disease closely and carefully at the affected area(s), such as the scalp, lashes, beard, nails, and other body parts where you have noticed a sudden hair loss.

Dermatologists usually use a dermatoscope to closely examine the affected area because it magnifies the area under its scope. Thus, it offers a better view of what is happening.

Your dermatologist may also ask about health, lifestyle, any history of Alopecia Areata in your close blood relation, and other needful information.

For better diagnosis and testing, they may also remove or take a few hairs and a small amount of skin to biopsy the bald area. It also helps examine the skin and hair under the microscope.

Sometimes, you may also need a blood test to look for any thyroid disease. It may help a dermatologist to check for a healthy level of iron and vitamins.

Once a dermatologist has all the required information, it can be better examined if someone has Alopecia Areata.

If a person is diagnosed with this disease, an expert may help regrow the lost hair with the proper guidance and remedy. Because, at this time, there is no 100% or perfect cure for the Alopecia Areata. 

However, a person can regrow their lost hair with the right therapy. 

Every day, newer treatments are coming with better and improved results. Therefore, it is advised to let a dermatologist decide the best solution for you based on your condition, such as how much hair a person has lost, how long one has had this problem, where the hair loss is, age, and other factors.

Again, knowing that no single treatment works for everyone, you can regain your lost hair and build your confidence with the right approach, diagnosis, and expert guidance from an expert in this domain.