Alopecia - Causes And Symptoms Of Alopecia

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Alopecia - Causes And Symptoms Of Alopecia
Alopecia - Causes And Symptoms Of Alopecia
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Causes and symptoms of alopecia

Content:

  • What is alopecia?
  • Causes of alopecia
  • Symptoms of alopecia
  • How is the treatment carried out?

What is alopecia?

Alopecia (baldness) is a disease characterized by the loss of hair on the head and a violation of the growth of new hair. Currently, the following types of disease are described in the medical literature:

  • Alopecia areata (in other words, alopecia areata)
  • Alopecia areata
  • Alopecia following a traumatic situation
  • Diffuse alopecia
  • Alopecia, which is based on hereditary factors
  • Androgenic alopecia
  • Seborrheic alopecia
  • Scarring alopecia (cicatricial alopecia)

Causes of alopecia

alopecia
alopecia

The etiology of some forms of the disease is currently not fully known, so alopecia is considered a multifactorial disease.

Alopecia areata can be caused by stressful situations, prolonged intoxication, and autoimmune processes. Alopecia can also develop against the background of unfavorable heredity or as a result of a traumatic situation, as a result of pulling out hair during a fight, game, etc. Alopecia can be caused by pulling (traction) of hair when styling it into a hairdo. Described the occurrence of cosmetic alopecia with frequent use of forceps to straighten or curl hair, the use of hot styling.

Hormonal disorders can also cause alopecia. A shift in the balance between androgens and estrogens towards a decrease in the amount of estrogens in the blood can cause the development of so-called androgenic alopecia, which, manifested in a mild form in men, is not a cause for concern and is not considered a pathological process. In women, such a violation of the ratio of hormones can be the cause of an increase in the production of androgens by the adrenal glands or ovaries.

Diffuse alopecia can be a consequence of prolonged intoxication, chronic poisoning, and long-term severe infectious diseases. This pathology often accompanies the course of pregnancy.

Alopecia can be transmitted from generation to generation, in this case they speak of hereditary alopecia. Most often, the type of inheritance is autosomal recessive, but in some cases there is also an autosomal dominant type of transmission of genetic information.

If the cause of alopecia is the destruction of hair follicles due to the appearance of scar tissue on the skin, then this pathology should be attributed to cicatricial alopecia. Various injuries to the skin (burns, radiation exposure), the manifestation of certain infectious diseases - such as syphilis, tuberculosis, leishmaniasis or tumor growth - can cause cicatricial alopecia.

Symptoms of alopecia

alopecia symptoms
alopecia symptoms

The main clinical manifestation of alopecia is hair loss. The pathological process can manifest itself in the form of small foci of baldness and in the form of complete baldness. Symptoms of alopecia are in direct proportion to the form of the disease.

Alopecia areata is accompanied by focal hair loss, and the foci of alopecia are round or oval. This type of pathology is characterized by an increase in the area of the lesion over time. The hair that is on the border with the focus becomes thinner and dystrophic. Alopecia is often accompanied by vitiligo and onychodystrophy.

After a few weeks or months, new ones may appear at the site of the lost hair, but after a while the grown hair also falls out, after which the foci of the pathological process grow, occupying an even larger area. Alopecia becomes total and is accompanied by loss of eyelashes and eyebrows.

Baldness can also start from the smooth surface of the skin (called ophiasis). In this case, the course of the disease is malignant and, as a rule, is accompanied by pathology from the endocrine system, as a result of hypothyroidism or adrenal insufficiency.

Traumatic alopecia also has separate lesions. Areas with a complete lack of hair border on areas of skin covered with intact or damaged (broken) hair, when examining the patient, traces of damage to the skin are also noticeable.

Symptoms of inherited alopecia are mainly found in children. In this case, the pathology is accompanied by atrophy of hair follicles in all areas of the skin. Other abnormalities and malformations may accompany the disease. A characteristic feature of hereditary alopecia is the presence of the disease in several family members.

Androgenic alopecia has a progressive course. Hair loss in most cases starts from the frontal area, over time, baldness spreads to the crown of the head.

How is the treatment carried out?

Here is a list of the most popular treatments:

  • Hair loss (alopecia) treatment at home - 5 most effective methods
  • The best shampoo for hair restoration and growth
  • Medication for alopecia (complete list of medicines)
  • The drug Minoxidil for hair loss
  • Finasteride for baldness
  • Hair transplant: answers to basic questions

Treatment is carried out with the help of vitamin and multivitamin preparations. Phytin, biotin, and immunocorrecting agents such as decaris or taktivin are also used. Treatment of alopecia areata can be supplemented with angioprotectors and drugs that have a positive effect on tissue microcirculation (trental). In the most severe cases, treatment of alopecia with hormonal drugs is recommended, while the risk of recurrence of the disease against the background of the development of steroid skin atrophy should be taken into account. Corticosteroid therapy can be carried out in the form of taking drugs by mouth or in the form of injecting lesions covered by the pathological process. Seborrheic and premature alopecia can disappear when antiandrogen therapy is prescribed to the patient.

In the treatment of all types of diseases, procedures using Darsonval currents, chloroethyl, cryomassage, and ultraviolet radiation can be useful. In the treatment of severe lesions, UV rays can be combined with the appointment of drugs to the patient that enhance the photosensitization of the body, you can also abandon the use of ultraviolet radiation and switch to photochemotherapy.

Topically, in the treatment of alopecia, rubbing in alcoholic tinctures (red pepper, naphthalan oil extract), creams containing corticosteroids, or a complex preparation "Regaine" can be useful.

When treating alopecia, great attention should be paid to proper shampooing. It is recommended to use boiled water, neutral (overfat) soap. It is better to rinse your head with infusions and decoctions of medicinal herbs (nettle, burdock, chamomile, string, celandine, etc.). With seborrheic alopecia, wash your hair once a week. With seborrheic and premature alopecia, it is recommended to exclude from the diet products that have an irritating effect - such as alcohol, smoked meats, coffee, pickles, etc. Patients should also refrain from sweets and starchy foods, reducing the amount of fats and carbohydrates entering the body.

For all forms of the disease, fresh vegetables and fruits, foods high in gelatin, and seaweed will be useful.

When treating alopecia, attention is paid to disorders of the endocrine and nervous systems. Recommended therapy for chronic diseases of the digestive tract, liver, kidneys, elimination of foci of chronic infection, treatment of helminthiasis.

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The author of the article: German Olga Leonidovna, trichologist, specially for the website ayzdorov.ru

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