What is Alopecia?

Alopecia is an autoimmune condition involving hair loss on the scalp or other areas of the body. There are 4 types of alopecia, and alopecia areata totalis is when a person has full hair loss on the scalp. With alopecia areata universalis the person loses all the hair on their scalp and body. Diffuse alopecia areata is different. There is less hair loss and it involves areas of hair thinning as compared to losing it in patches. With ophiasis alopecia areata the hair loss occurs in a band at the bottom of your scalp. Alopecia is not contagious.

What Causes Alopecia?

Alopecia can be hereditary and inherited from a parent or family predecessor, and children have it more frequently than teens or adults. Other autoimmune disorders like diabetes, thyroid disease, or lupus can also be causes of alopecia.

Alopecia Symptoms

The most primary of alopecia symptoms is patchy hair loss seen on different areas of the body and occurring to different extents based on the type of alopecia. Other possible symptoms are nail pitting, itching (pruritus), skin color changes, black dotting on affected skin areas, openings in hair follicles (follicular ostia), and shorter or whiter hairs growing on affected skin areas.

Alopecia Treatment

Alopecia is treatable and it may be possible for some people to reverse it. Standard approaches to alopecia treatment are to use corticosteroid medications or JAK-inhibitor medications like Olumiant. Clobex (Clobetasone) shampoo may also work to limit the spread of alopecia. UVA / UVB phototherapy are also possible alopecia treatments, and the same goes for PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections.

Topical immunotherapy where contact dermatitis is intentionally caused on the skin can also be helpful for reversing alopecia, and if a doctor sees it as something that may also be helpful for an alopecia sufferer they may recommend it.