Men, women and children are experiencing hair loss at an alarming rate
. Alopecia is defined as loss of hair or baldness. This type of hair loss has a terrible effect on the emotional well being on many of those suffering from it.
Alopecia is not only hair loss on the scalp but can occur on any part of the body. People sometimes experience alopecia on the eyebrows, genital area and beard. Alopecia can affect people so badly that they often develop depression or severe anxiety.
Androgenetic alopecia affects young men in their teenage to young adult years of life. This type of balding is different in that the hair around the temples and sides of the head grows thinner. Females can also acquire androgenetic alopecia. Their hair loss is more likely to occur on the crown of the head, front or sides.
Scarring alopecia is a more serious kind of disorder. When this happens the hair follicle is actually destroyed and replaced with scar tissue. The hair loss is permanent. Scarring alopecia can be tricky and not show any symptoms. Other times there is pain and itching as the hair thins out. This type of hair loss is often trademarked by scaling of the skin and redness.
All of the above disorders cause permanent loss of the hair. There are other less serious disorders that cause only temporary hair loss. Alopecia areata causes hair loss in tiny circular areas. This disorder affects all areas with hair on them just like the androgenetic alopecia does.
Telogen effluvium happens suddenly as the normal growth of the hair is temporarily interrupted. A person will likely notice there is a problem when they wash or comb their hair.
Traction alopecia is mostly experienced by women who wear certain hairstyles that are worn over and over. Braids, cornrows, ponytails and buns are some of the hairstyles that can cause this to occur. The pulling on the hair follicle is what causes it to occur. Some of the symptoms of traction alopecia are random bald spots, itchiness, hair breakage and a red scalp.
Approximately 50% of people who suffer from alopecia are expected to grow their hair back within a year. For those that are not this lucky there are many ways to treat alopecia.
Corticosteroids are often given orally, applied directly to the skin or injected. They tend to work pretty well but not without some serious side effects. Phototherapy is another popular way to treat alopecia. It is usually used to treat various skin disorders but also helps stimulate hair growth. More serious cases of alopecia often resort to surgery to try and cover up the bald areas.