What is Alopecia?

If you are wondering what is Alopecia the short answer is simply a hair loss condition that usually affects the scalp. However, the hair loss does not have to be limited to the scalp. You can have alopecia of the body also. Read on to learn more about what is alopecia, and it's causes.

There are two types of alopecia. One type is called alopecia androgenetic. This is a fancy name for male or female pattern baldness. This type of hair loss is hereditary, and it is permanent. Pattern baldness happens gradually over time.

The other type of alopecia is called alopecia areata. This type of hair loss of hair loss is caused by an abnormality in the body's immune system. When a person has alopecia areata the body's own immune system will attack the hair follicles and cause the hair to fall out. The cause of this type of alopecia is not known.

Alopecia areata is sometimes associated with other types of diseases that can affect the immune system. These diseases would include thyroid disease, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis. On occasions, a family link can be identified suggesting that this type of hair loss could be genetic.

If you have alopecia areata you will most commonly lose hair in one or more specific spots on the scalp. Some people will have a more general thinning of the hair all over the scalp. This is called diffuse alopecia. If all of your hair falls out, and you are completely bald this is called alopecia totalis.

Who is most commonly affected by alopecia areata? The answer to this may surprise you. The group of people most often affected are children, teens and young adults. It can affect male and female alike. This hair loss condition can be devastating to a child because they are left to deal with the emotional aspect of being made fun of because they are "different."

Hair will grow back in about 50% of the patients that suffer from alopecia areata. The hair will re-grow within a year without any form of treatment. However, the longer the person goes without hair re-growth, the lower the chance of them ever getting their hair to grow back.

Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment that has been found for alopecia areata. This may be because it is very hard to pinpoint the cause of alopecia in most people. If you find yourself suffering from permanent hair loss from alopecia then it is best to treat the emotional aspects of the disease and either choose to go bald or find a good hairpiece to wear.

What is alopecia? It is simply hair loss that can be from a genetic or an autoimmune disorder. It may be permanent or it may grow back on it's own. If you find yourself suffering from sudden hair loss you need to see your doctor right away because this could be a sign of something more ominous.

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What is Alopecia?