What Is Alopecia?
Alopecia Totalis - FAQ concerning Hair LossAlopecia is considered to be an autoimmune disease, in which the immune system, which is designed to protect the body from foreign invaders such as viruses and bacteria, mistakenly attacks the hair follicles, the tiny cup-shaped structures from which hairs grow. This can lead to hair loss on the scalp and elsewhere. In most cases, hair falls out in small, round patches about the size of a quarter. In many cases, the disease does not extend beyond a few bare patches.
Related QuestionsWhat is alopecia areata?
NAAF FAQAlopecia areata is a common autoimmune disease that results in the loss of hair on the scalp and elsewhere. It usually starts with one or more small, round, smooth patches. It occurs in males and females of all ages and races, but onset most often occurs in childhood. It is estimated that approximately two percent of the population will be affected at some point in their lives, or over 4.5 million people in the United States.
Related QuestionsVitiligo Support International - Frequently Asked QuestionsAlopecia areata is a fairly common condition (ranking with vitiligo) that results in the loss of hair on the scalp and elsewhere. It usually starts with one or more small, round, smooth patches. It occurs in males and females of all ages, but onset most often occurs in childhood. In alopecia areata, the affected hair follicles become very small, drastically slow down production, and grow no hair visible above the surface for months or years.Related Questions
Is alopecia areata hereditary?
NAAF FAQYes, heredity plays a role. In one out of five persons with alopecia areata, someone else in the family also has it. Those who develop alopecia areata for the first time after the age of thirty years have less likelihood that another family member will have it. Those who develop their first patch of alopecia areata before the age of thirty have a higher possibility that other family members will also have it.
Related QuestionsIs alopecia areata due to nerves?
NAAF FAQNo, it is not a nervous disorder. Those who have alopecia areata have not caused it and have no control over its course.
Related QuestionsIs there a cure for alopecia areata?
NAAF FAQpresent, there is no cure for alopecia areata, although the hair may return by itself. There are various treatments, which are most effective in milder cases, but none are universally effective.
Related QuestionsWhat Are the Different Types of Alopecia?
Alopecia Totalis - FAQ concerning Hair LossThe word alopecia itself is a term specifically used for hair loss yet there are many subtypes of alopecia. These are the three primary subtypes of alopecia: Alopecia Areata - Patchy loss of hair whether that means patches on your legs, arms, pubic region, scalp, lashes or brows. Each of the terms are for more descriptive purposes since the each of the types can sometimes be vague and symptoms may seem to "overlap" each other in places.
Related QuestionsWhat Causes Alopecia Totalis?
Alopecia Totalis - FAQ concerning Hair LossIn alopecia totalis, immune system cells called white blood cells attack the rapidly growing cells in the hair follicles that make the hair. The affected hair follicles become small and drastically slow down hair production. Fortunately, the stem cells that continually supply the follicle with new cells do not seem to be targeted. So the follicle always has the potential to regrow hair.
Related QuestionsHow Will Alopecia Totalis Affect My Life?
Alopecia Totalis - FAQ concerning Hair LossThis is a common question, particularly for children, teens, and young adults who are beginning to form lifelong goals and who may live with the effects of alopecia totalis for many years. The comforting news is that alopecia totalis is not a painful disease and does not make people feel sick physically. It is not contagious, and people who have the disease are generally healthy otherwise.
Related QuestionsWhere Can I Learn More About Alopecia Totalis?
Alopecia Totalis - FAQ concerning Hair Losswww.AlopeciaIreland.org - A website dedicated to providing support and information to people with Alopecia Areata, Totalis and Universalis in Ireland and the rest of the world too! www.ChildrensAlopeciaProject.org - This websites goal is to generate public awareness of the disease and to raise money for research and build Self-esteem via support group participation for children and their parents. www.CARFIntl.
Related QuestionsArchive - DrDonnica.com - The First Name in Women's HealthNearly 2.5 million Americans have alopecia areata, a condition in which hair loss occurs in round patches about the size of a coin. . .or even completely. It can occur in the scalp alone or throughout the body. More than half of affected patients are under 20, although it can occur at any age.Related Questions
Is there any difference in the treatment between Alopecia totalis and Alopecia areata?
Alopecia areata: Frequently asked questions(faq's) of alopec...Yes, the treatment approach is difference and the prognosis is also difference. That is, Alopecia is treatable with great success, while Alopecia totalis is not curable using homeopathy. Steroids may help but superficially. Our experience suggests that by use of steroids, most patients get more spots elsewhere on the skin. Steroids do not address internal autoimmune disorder. Well, they are very useful during acute attacks. But, they do not cure chronic urticaria, in my experience.
Related QuestionsHow will alopecia areata affect my daily life?
NAAF FAQAlopecia areata is not medically disabling; persons with alopecia areata are usually in excellent health. But emotionally, this disease can be challenging, especially for those with extensive hair loss. One of the purposes of the National Alopecia Areata Foundation is to reach out to individuals and families with alopecia areata and help them live full, productive lives. There are thousands of successful, well-adjusted, contented people living with this disease.
Related QuestionsWhat does the National Alopecia Areata Foundation do?
NAAF FAQRaises funds and awards research grants to study the cause of alopecia areata, to develop effective treatments, and to seek a cure. Provides emotional support through personal contact and written materials to help those with alopecia areata and their families. Co-sponsors International Research Workshops on alopecia areata with the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Related QuestionsWhat are the hair loss treatments for androgenetic alopecia?
FAQ's on Hair Loss Treatment, Hair Replacement, Hair Transpl...The only medically proven hair loss treatments for male pattern baldness are Propecia (finasteride), Low Level Laser Therapy, Rogaine (minoxidil), as well as hair replacement surgery, which can be performed in our Massachusetts and Rhode Island facilities.
Related QuestionsWhat are the causes of Alopecia Areata?
Alopecia areata: Frequently asked questions(faq's) of alopec...Please check this link which explains the causes in detail: http://www.alopeciaareata.us/app/causes.asp
Related QuestionsWhat is alopecia and what causes it?
Welcome to Saniyyah...Naturally | Product InformationAlopecia is baldness of the hair which come from damage to the hair follicles. Alopecia is directly related to stress and toxins in the body. The energy associated with gall bladder, lung and kidney is very important as it relates to healthy hair and scalp and if these organs are in an unbalanced or unhealthy state these organs can weaken and the hair can eventually bald.
Related QuestionsWhat is cicatricial alopecia or scarring alopecia?
Cicatricial Alopecia - Frequently Asked QuestionsThe term "cicatricial alopecia" refers to a diverse group of rare disorders that destroy the hair follicle, replace it with scar tissue, and cause permanent hair loss. In some cases, hair loss is gradual, without symptoms, and is unnoticed for long periods. In other cases, hair loss is associated with severe itching, burning and pain and is rapidly progressive.
Related QuestionsWhat Is Androgenetic Alopecia?
Androgenetic Areata - FAQ concerning Female Pattern Baldness...Hereditary balding or thinning is the most common cause of hair loss. The tendency can be inherited from either the mother's or father's side of the family. Women with this trait develop thinning hair, but do not become completely bald. The condition is called androgenetic alopecia and it can start in the teens, twenties, or thirties. There is no cure, although medical treatments have recently become available that may help some people.
Related QuestionsCan stress cause Alopecia Areata?
Alopecia areata: Frequently asked questions(faq's) of alopec...Yes, stress can trigger some immunological or endocrinal changes which may in turn changes which may lead to alopecia. However, stress is not the single factor leading to alopecia.
Related QuestionsWhat is the difference between Alopecia Areata and Totalis?
Alopecia areata: Frequently asked questions(faq's) of alopec...For all practical purposes, one o a few patches of hair loss is called Alopecia areata; while total hair loss all over the body, including eyebrows, eyes lashes, all over the skin, is called Alopecia totalis.
Related QuestionsHow to Treat Alopecia?
HypopneaAlopecia is prevalent in western cultures. It is also known as hair loss, or just baldness. No wonder, among its main causes are hereditary predisposition, infections, polluted environment and toxicity, improper nutrition, physical or emotional overloads and stresses that are so typical of modern people. The articles covers different methods of alopecia treatment according to its different types: congenital, symptomatic, seborrheic, cicatricial, premature, total and areal alopecia.
Related Questions