Have You Experience Hair Loss? Alopecia Areata

Health Tip - Alopecia Areata

Alopecia Areata is a common autoimmune skin disease resulting in the loss of hair on the scalp or other areas on the body.

             

         

This disease affects two percent of the total population and 5 million people in the United States.

This disease affects men and women

         

Sometimes called Spot Baldness and involves hair loss in one or more round spots, smooth bald patches  on the scalp.

Alopecia Areata is NOT CONTAGIOUS!

Reactions to Alopecia Areata:

• Alone, withdrawn and isolated
• Loss and grief
• Fear that others may find out that you have the disease
• Fear that others may find out you are wearing a wig
• Sadness and depression
• Hopelessness
• Anger
• Embarrassment
• Guilt or self-blame that you somehow brought the disease on yourself
• Frantic in searching for a cure (going to extremes)
• For parents, guilt that they may have genetically contributed to their child's disease
• For parents, helplessness that they cannot stop the disease or help ease their child's pain

Seek professional counseling if needed many times trauma is experienced.

Types of Alopecia Areata:

• Alopecia Totalis - Autoimmune disorder
• Alopecia Universalis - Rapid hair loss all over the body (head, hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes)
• Androgenetic Alopecia - Most common hair loss (heredity and hormones are the factors)

Causes of Alpecia Areata: 

• Heredity               
• Autoimmune Diseases

Treatment of Alopecia Areata (limited results): 

• Corticosteroid injections or cream      
• Oral corticosteroids can decrease for a short period
• Steroids injections (commonly used)

Home Remedies for Hair Loss:

• Casterol Oil
• Keep your hair healthy with regular cuts
• Shampoo regularly
• Massage coconut milk with avocado into the scalp
• Saw pametto (helps regrow naturally)
• Stinging nettle a common herb used for  hair regrowth
• Ginseng (rejuvenates the scalp, increases blood flow and helps with regrowth)
• Vitamin A (essential for hair growth - mango, orange, carrot, sweet potato, and squash)
• Folic Acid (collard greens, lentils, garbanzo beans/chickpeas, papaya, peas, and asparagus) natural hair growth
• Vitamins E & C (improves blood circulation and growing strong hair)
• Exercise (improves circulation throughout the body)

                                                   

Stress related Alopecia (small patches) will grow back in a few months to a year.  

FYI on Hair Loss most people lose between 50 to 100 strands of hair a day, according to the American Society of Dermatology.

Watch out for Drug Induced Hair Loss:
  

• Acne medications
• Anticoagulants (blood thinners)
• Cholesterol - lowering medications
• Convulsions/Epilepsy
• Depression/Antidepression drugs
• Diet (amphetamines)
• Fungus (antifungals)
• Glaucoma (beta-blokers)
• Gout (Lopurin & Zyloprin) 
• Heart (beta-blockers)
• High Blood Pressure
• Hormonal Conditions (birth control pills)
• Inflammation (anti-inflammatory)
• Parkinson's Disease
• Thyroid Disease
• Ulcer (Tagamet, Zantac, Pepcid)

You are going to lose hair as you age but if you see bald patches please see a dermatologist immediately.

Remember Information in Power!

  Stay Healthy

For more information go to www.americanhairloss.org, www.webMD.com, www.ask.com, www.livestrong.com, www.naaf.org, or www.dailyglow.com/hair-care-tips

Live well

Doc V