The Future Of Health The problem of hair loss is extremely relevant for many men and women from all over the world. While someone is facing the problem of baldness after 50-60 years, a minority of people notice rapid hair loss in their youth.
However, the most significant disease associated with hair loss is alopecia areata. With this disease, people can lose all their hair in a short time (head, eyelashes, eyebrows, and body hair). Keep reading this article to find out why this problem occurs and how it can be cured.
Causes of Hair Loss
The immune system plays an extremely important role in the body of any person. Under normal conditions, it works in such a way as to protect a person from dangerous diseases and, therefore, attacks harmful bacteria that enter the body. With disorders of the immune system, healthy hair follicle cells can be attacked. When such a reaction occurs in the body, hair growth stops, as a result of which a person quickly loses all body hair.
It is worth noting that this disease is not associated with a specific ethnic group. Moreover, genetics does not always play a decisive role. Sometimes even such a minor factor as stress can lead to the appearance of alopecia.
Symptoms of the Disease
How can you notice the first signs of alopecia? And how to distinguish ordinary hair loss from a serious illness? People with alopecia may notice round areas where hair has fallen out. In addition, you will not see signs of any problem in these areas, the skin looks healthy, and redness does not appear. This is the first sign that you have problems with your hair follicles. In this case, it is necessary to contact a dermatologist for further diagnosis. Another sign of alopecia is a change in the growth of nails, but it occurs in no more than 20% of patients.
Ways To Treat Alopecia
Unfortunately, no medicine has yet been found that would prevent alopecia. Even with the use of currently known medications, it is usually not possible to avoid relapses. Often people with alopecia have to resort to using wigs and permanent makeup to restore their former appearance.
Two main methods of treatment are applied nowadays:
- The use of topical steroids is a safe yet effective method of stopping hair loss. This method can be carried out by patients with alopecia both independently and with the help of a doctor;
- Immunosuppressants and systemic steroids are another way to treat alopecia. Since it is an autoimmune disease, this method may be extremely effective in the future. However, now the study of systemic steroids and their effect on hair growth is continuing.